EDO5856 - Corfe Mullen to Salisbury Water Transfer Scheme Evaluation Trench 23

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 23 was located to the west of Pimperne and south of the new Pimperne Pumping Station. It measured 30m by 1.8m. It was excavated across or immediately adjacent to four discrete positive anomalies (part of Anomaly 212) which are indicative of former pits of possible archaeological origin. Three features were identified that corresponded to geophysical anomalies – two possible tree throws and a pit (23004). [1] [2] Pit 23004 was an oval pit 1.58 by 1.22m across and 0.42m deep with a flat bottom. It was apparently cut by another small pit (23010), which in turn was cut by a post hole (23008). No dating evidence was recovered from these features, though the primary fill of 23004 contained charcoal remains of alder, hazel, hawthorn, rowan, crab apple, oak, willow and poplar, various species of plant macrofossils and mollusc shells. [1] Three small pits or post holes (23002, 23013 and 23016) were were also identified within the trench though their location did not correspond to anomalies identified during the geophysical survey. [1] The record for this event has been created with support from Wessex Water.