Monument record MDO1475 - Brushwood drain, Well Plot, Yondover, Loders

The site of a waterlogged wooden structure reported as consisting of wooden stakes with wattle. Investigations in 1965 concluded that the feature was the remains of a brushwood drain of a type known to have been used locally in living memory.

[SY 49849391] 'A'. During the construction of the R.D.C. building site in April 1956 a Roman coin (Faustina II?),
Roman pottery sherds, Samian, and black ware with smooth trellis pattern were found Also on the same site were 12th & 13th C. pottery sherds.

[SY 49889387] 'B' Double row of posts 9" apart and a length of 12 1/2feet were also exposed at a depth of 2ft. 2ins. with flint flakes and wattle work. <1-2>

Further investigation on the site in 1964 produced little of archaeological significance. There was evidence of stone-drains and it is suggested that the wooden stakes may well have been a brickwood drain of a type used locally within living memory. <3>

<1> Butcher, W, 1957, Annotated Record Map Corr. 6, 25.11.57 (Map). SWX1368.

<2> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1957, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1956, 85-87 (Serial). SDO56.

<3> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1966, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1965, 108 (Serial). SDO65.

‘The Medieval site at Yondover, Loders. Mr. C. J. Bailey contributes the following note on further exposures at the medieval site at Yondover in the valley of the Asker, first reported in Dorset Proceedings, Vol. 78 (1956), pp. 85-7. “Investigation of the area in the vicinity of a spring at Well Plot, Yondover, Loders (SY 499939) was carried out during July and August, 1965. It was hoped that this work might throw some light on the significance of the wooden stakes previously found in a waterlogged depression associated with the spring. This area was examined by trenching and by auger and the soil build-up was shown to be hill-was overlying clay, the maximum depth being about 4ft. No distinct horizon was noticeable and apart from the odd sherd of Medieval pottery and a few worked flints, all haphazard in distribution, nothing of archaeological significance was found. At about 2ft. small fragments of brushwood were present but there was no trace of stakes similar to those previously found. There was, however, evidence of repeated attempts to drain the depression with stone drains, and it is suggested that the parallel lines of stakes with wood between them may well have been a ‘brushwood’ drain of a type known to have been used locally within living memory. Preliminary investigation of an apparent house platform revealed no evidence of build-up other than by natural accumulation, although this area will be further investigated during future building operations.’

<4> National Record of the Historic Environment, 450106 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Dec 19 2022 11:40AM