EWX2126 - Land to rear of 58 West Street, Corfe Castle; evaluation 2003

Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by Raglan Housing to undertaken an archaeological evaluation on land proposed for development to the rear of 58, West Street, Corfe Castle. The work was conducted in advance of development for a Doctors Surgery, housing and associated parking. The Site (NGR 395918178) comprises an area of approximately 0.25ha, situated immediately to the rear of 58 West Street and immediately south of West Street Car park on the western fringes of Corfe Castle village. Two trenches were excavated to determine the archaeological potential of the Site. Trench 1 revealed three ditches. Two aligned east-west and a third aligned north-south. From this latter ditch , half a shale lathe core was recovered. For the size of archaeological features, a considerable amount of pottery dating to the Medieval period was recovered form all of the ditches. These ditches may form part of an enclosure system, perhaps enclosing or adjacent to settlement. Trench 2 revealed four features, two north-south possible ditches and two possible postholes. The postholes may be the remains of a former fence line dividing the paddock into two smaller east-west aligned fields. The features contained a darker fill, very similar to the subsoil and topsoil, with material dating from the Medieval or Post-Medieval period in the form of pottery, animal bone and slag, these features may be evidence of activity relating to the land use in the post-medieval period. The results of the evaluation suggest the Site contains a high density of Medieval archaeological features perhaps adjacent to settlement.