EDO8132 - Windyridge Farm, Gillingham; geophysical survey 2018

A detailed gradiometer survey was conducted over land at Windyridge Farm, Gillingham, Dorset. The project was commissioned by Persimmon Homes (South Coast) Ltd. with the aim of establishing the presence, or otherwise, and nature of detectable archaeological features in support of a planning application for the residential development of the site. The site comprises approximately 26.9 ha, currently under pasture, and located at the north-eastern edge of the town of Gillingham, Dorset; 21.5 ha of the proposed survey area was surveyable. The detailed gradiometer survey has been successful in detecting anomalies of archaeological origin, with a cluster of ditches and possible pits at the centre of the area. Elsewhere, anomalies largely comprise isolated pit-like responses, along with possible ring ditches at the centre and on the south-eastern extent of the survey area. Two linear anomalies close to a former pond at the centre of the survey area are partly masked by magnetic disturbance, although they are likely to be of archaeological interest. The ditches enclose a cluster of pit-like anomalies that may be related. Two small fragmentary features consistent with ring ditches may be associated with Bronze Age funerary activity, although the interrupted nature of the anomalies makes confident interpretation difficult. Several former field boundaries can be seen in the western part of the site, appearing on historical mapping from the 19th century and removed in the later 20th century. Three former ponds identified on historical mapping were also apparently infilled in the latter half of the 20th century. Two further linear anomalies are also likely to represent former boundaries, although they do not appear on mapping. Other anomalies include isolated pit-like responses, field drains, ploughing and other weak magnetic trends, modern services, areas of magnetic disturbance, ferrous anomalies, and geological features.