Monument record MDO37383 - Field boundary ditch, Corfe Mullen to Salisbury Water Transfer Scheme Evaluation Trench 66

Fragmentary traces of 'celtic' field boundaries are visible on aerial photographs on Rawston Down. Part of one of these field boundaries was subject to geophysical survey and evaluation excavation in 2012. This boundary was shown to comprise a small V-shaped ditch and probably accompanying bank. The record for this monument has been created with support from Wessex Water.

Fragmentary traces of 'celtic' field boundaries have been noted on aerial photographs on Rawston down within Ancient Field Group (70). [1]

Geophysical survey along the proposed route of the Corfe Mullen to Salisbury Water Transfer Scheme in 2012 revealed an irregular linear positive anomaly indicative of a former ditched feature (Anomaly 218). [1]

The geophysical anomaly was targeted by evaluation excavation in 2012 and proved to represent a small V-shaped ditch 1.25m wide and 0.5m deep, oriented roughly E-W. The character of the fill suggested there may have been a former bank on the northern side. No artefacts or other dating evidence was recovered from this ditch. [3]

<1> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1972, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume IV (North), 118-119 (Monograph). SDO99.

<2> Marsh, B and Biggs, M, 2012, Geophysical Survey Report Corfe Mullen to Salisbury WTS, 26, anomaly 218 (Unpublished document). SDO14089.

<3> Havard, T and Nicholl, M, 2013, Corfe Mullen to Salisbury Transfer Scheme, Wessex Water, Dorset and Wiltshire: Archaeological Evaluation, 15 (Unpublished document). SDO14094.

North-west/south-east orientated ditch 66002 (Fig. 45, Section 22) located at the northern end of Trench 66 corresponded with a linear anomaly depicted on the geophysical survey. No artefactual evidence was recovered from any of the three identified fills, primary fill 66003, secondary fill 66004 and final fill 66005. The earliest fills 66003 and 66004 suggested two phases of bank erosion from the north side.

Record last edited

Jan 11 2016 10:58AM