Monument record MDO3556 - Pimperne and Blandford parish boundary, Blandford Heights, Blandford Forum

An archaeological evaluation at Blandford Heights industrial estate during 1997 sampled the line of the former parish boundary between Pimperne and Blandford Forum. The boundary was represented by a prominent bank and ditch, although this was revealed on excavation to be of modern origin.

AC Archaeology conducted an archaeological evaluation of land at Lower Blandford Heights Industrial Estate, Blandford during 1997. This comprised the machine excavation of six trenches. The former Blandford and Pimperne parish boundary forms the NW boundary of the site, and is represented by a prominent bank and ditch. Trench 1 was located across this boundary but the evaluation failed to reveal archaeological deposits pre-dating the 19th century, and there was a total absence of pre-modern artefacts. A cross section through the parish boundary bank and ditch revealed that it has been entirely constructed using modern topsoil, and there were modern artefacts present at its lowest levels. It is therefore likely that the bank and ditch was constructed during the 20th century, when the land was used as allotments. It is considered that any development of this site is unlikely to disturb any significant archaeological remains. <1>

<1> Valentin J, 1997, An Archaeological Field Evaluation on the Site of a Proposed Industrial Development of Land at Lower Blandford Heights, Blandford, Dorset (Unpublished document). SDO11407.

‘4.2 The Blandford and Pimperne Parish Boundary (Fig. 2). The NW edge of the field was characterised by the presence of a prominent NE to SW aligned linear bank, with a shallow ditch on its SE side. The bank profile was exposed in Trenches 1 and 2, and was identical in composition. It survived to a height of around 1.0m, with a steep sloping SE edge, with the NW edge largely truncated by the presence of a tarmac footpath along its full length. The bank was entirely composed of recently redeposited topsoil (contexts 10 and 11), with modern debris present in its lowest levels. There was no redeposited chalk or clay with flints within the sequence of deposits, and the bank did not appear to overlie a buried soil horizon. The associated ditch was shown on excavation to be located entirely within the topsoil horizon, its cut not extending into the natural subsoil. No artefacts were recovered from the shallow ditch silts.’

Record last edited

May 15 2017 12:25PM