EDO5833 - Corfe Mullen to Salisbury Water Transfer Scheme Evaluation Trench 11

Cotswold Archaeology undertook an archaeological evaluation of the route of the proposed Corfe Mullen to Salisbury Water Transfer Scheme between July and December 2012. A total of 47 trenches were excavated in Dorset. Trench 11 was located to the north west of Shapwick village. It measured 1.8m wide and was in two parts to avoid a service trench. It was positioned to evaluate geophysical anomalies 312 and 313, an L-shaped positive linear anomaly. A small ditch (11003), which produced a single sherd of Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age pottery from near its base, was found along the line of geophysical anomaly 313. To the north west another, much larger, undated ditch (11011) was found, both aligned roughly NE-SW. This larger ditch may correspond to geophysical anomaly 312. A further undated ditch (11020) on a similar orientation was found to the south east. The upper fill of this ditch was cut by a small undated pit or hearth (11023)containing the remains of a possible clay lining and large quantities of slag and charcoal. Two other adjacent small features were not investigated. In the south east part of the trench a single undated pit (11009) was found. [1] [2] The record for this event has been created with support from Wessex Water.