EDO8020 - The Ferryman, 6 New Quay Road, Poole; observations and recording 2022 and 2023

The archaeological watching brief comprised of the monitoring of below ground demolition works of the former Ferryman public house, general ground reduction of the footprint of the proposed build and excavation of strip footings. The entire footprint of the new build was reduced to a depth of approximately 0.85m below ground level to prevent the collapse of surrounding overburden into the footings. The strip foundations were then excavated to a depth of 0.45m on average below this to a width varying between 0.45m and 1.3m wide. Made ground consisting of modern building rubble in a dark blackish-brown sandy-silt matrix between 0.5 and 0.83m deep lay over a mid orange to brownish-orange soft gritty-sand with 30% rounded stone and very occasional building rubble (probably intruded from above) that varied in depth between 0.29 and 0.65m. This in turn sealed the natural geology; an undulating mid orange soft gritty-sand with moderate sub-angular to rounded stone and 25% bands of dark blackish-brown silty-sand and light brownish-yellow sand. To the south of the site and along the south-eastern boundary wall an extant tarmac surface measured 0.06m thick. Below this was a sub-angular stone and gravel in an orange sandy-grit bedding layer. Along the north-eastern footings of the new build the wall of the cellar of the former Ferryman public house was exposed and demolished. This was a 19th century brick construction with mortar bonding, tanked externally with a thick layer of grey clay and sealed internally with a bitumen fabric. The archaeological monitoring revealed a simple stratigraphy of made ground overlying a gritty subsoil that sealed undulating natural sand that probably represents the former seabed prior to land reclamation. No archaeological features or finds were present in the monitored area. The project objectives were met in full with a medium-high confidence rating for the results. This is based on the extremely high water table and difficult conditions on site with the ever present danger of imminent collapse of trench edges.