Monument record MDO37407 - Quarry Pit 29002, Corfe Mullen to Salisbury Water Transfer Scheme Evaluation Trench 29, Pimperne

A large pit, perhaps a chalk quarry pit, corresponding to a large oval geophysical anomaly was found in evaluation trench 29 during the investigation of the route of the Corfe Mullen to Salisbury Water Transfer Scheme in 2012. The pit was not fully excavated and no dating evidence was recovered. The record for this monument has been created with support from Wessex Water.

A large sub-circular cropmark is visible immediately to the east of Manor Farm, Pimperne on a 1997 aerial photograph. [1]

A large sub-circular positive geophysical anomaly (210) was indentified on the site of the proposed Pimperne Pumping Station during the geophysical survey of the proposed route of the Corfe Mullen to Salisbury Water Transfer Scheme in 2012. [2]

The geophysical anomaly was investigated by Trench 29 of the evaluation excavation of the Corfe Mullen to Salisbury Water Transfer Scheme route. The anomaly corresponded to a wide shallow depression about 30m in diameter visible in the field surface. It was caused by a large pit (29002), over two metres deep, with moderately sloping sides. The base was not exposed. A single fill was identified and no finds were recovered. [3]

<1> 1997, DCC 23-0324 (Aerial Photograph). SDO14110.

<2> Marsh, B and Biggs, M, 2012, Geophysical Survey Report Corfe Mullen to Salisbury WTS, 24 (Unpublished document). SDO14089.

<3> Havard, T and Nicholl, M, 2013, Corfe Mullen to Salisbury Transfer Scheme, Wessex Water, Dorset and Wiltshire: Archaeological Evaluation, 17-18 (Unpublished document). SDO14094.

A large pit 29002, identified at the northern end of Trench 29 and corresponded to a large sub-circular geophysical anomaly. A wide shallow depression measuring approximately 30m in diameter visible in relief to the north-east of the trench also corresponded to the geophysical anomaly. The pit measured at least 2m in depth, had moderately sloped sides and contained a single identified fill 29003 from which no artefactual material was recovered. Safety considerations prevented further investigation of this feature. A geophysical anomaly to the south of Trench 29 was not identified during the archaeological evaluation.

Record last edited

Jan 12 2016 4:25PM