EDO8019 - Land at Parnham House, Beaminster; geophysical survey 2023

OASIS: A temporary grid system was established over the site and marked out using canes. The location of the grid was set out using an RTK GPS system theoretically accurate to some 0.01m and referenced to OS co-ordinates. Hand Held: Data was collected using a Bartington Grad 601-2. The instrument consists of two paired sensors and readings are logged at 0.25m centres along traverses 1.0m apart across 30m grids. The collection of data at 0.25m centres provides an appropriate methodology balancing cost and time with resolution as per Historic England guidelines. Two sensors mounted 1m horizontally apart and very accurately aligned to nullify the effects of the earth's magnetic field. Readings relate to the difference in localised magnetic anomalies compared with the general magnetic background. Project Results: The magnetometer survey has recorded a number of magnetic responses that could be of possible archaeological interest. A series of weak linear and curvilinear trends have been recorded in Area 4 which could mark the locations of an enclosure, a ring-ditch, trackway and other ditches. However, the ‘washed out’ nature of the anomalies has made it difficult to confidently interpret the responses. Discrete anomalies of uncertain origin are likely to be due to modern processes while a couple of negative linear trends could mark the locations of land drains. Several service pipes have also been plotted in the data.