EDO6338 - Wessex Water Corfe Mullen to Salisbury Transfer Scheme; archaeological mitigation 2013 to 2015

The Corfe Mullen to Salisbury Water Transfer Scheme involved the laying of pipelines and the construction/extension of water treatment works and reservoirs in several locations between Sturminster Marshall in Dorset, through the Stour Valley and the West Cranborne Chase to Monkton Deverill in Wiltshire. The pipeline and associated structures in Dorset were constructed from Sturminster Marshall Water Treatment Works in the south to Littledown Storage Tank in the north. Following an earlier phase of geophysical survey and evaluation excavation a number of locations along the pipeline routes, new construction areas and temporary compounds had been identified as having sufficient archaeological significance to require further investigation. The most significant sites were identified for targeted excavation, while others were identified for monitoring, by watching brief, during construction. In total some 4.3km (c 6.7%) of the Sturminster Marshall to Camp Hill scheme pipeline routes (nominally 20m wide) was classified an excavation areas and a further 4.5km (7%) was denoted as watching brief areas.