EDO7943 - Alderney Water Treatment Works, Bournemouth; evaluation 2023

OASIS: Project Methodology: Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by Stantec UK Limited, on behalf of South West Water (the client), to undertake an archaeological evaluation of a 1.95 ha parcel of land 16 trenches of varying length from 15 m to 30 m in length and 3.0 m in width were excavated to a maximum depth of just below 1.0 m. The majority of the trenches were stepped in 0.50 m intervals, through deposits consisting of made ground and topsoil above natural sands and gravels. Project Results: It is likely that the made ground the necessitated the stepping in of the trenches is related to the storage of material from the Water Treatment Works, while the topsoil layers likely represent the original ground level with some truncation and landscaping present in places. This truncation did not appear to have disturbed the potential archaeological horizon as features including shrub bowls, two modern ditches and two undated postholes were recorded at the level of the natural geology of sands and gravels and this weathered upper surface of the geology seemed to be preserved. One trench also exhibited evidence of preserved subsoil in the form of podzolization layers with distinct ashy grey sands and dark brown sandy silts recorded.