Find Spot record MDO6162 - Worked flints recovered during observations on the line of the Purbeck-Southampton Pipeline, Sturminster Marshall

A quantity of worked flint, comprising cores, scrapers, retouched flakes and waste flakes was recovered during excavation and subsequent observations in 1989 of construction of a pipeline from Purbeck to Southampton.

During a trial excavation on the line of the Purbeck-Southampton Pipeline, Sturminster Marshall a number of worked flints were recovered, consisting of 125 cores, 5 scrapers and 76 retouched flakes. The flint was all of a dark, unpatinated finish and probably derived from the local river gravels.

<1> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1990, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1989, 122-124 (Serial). SDO89.

‘Plot 54.14 ST 956986
The pipeline here crosses the possible alignment of a Roman road but, despite close examination of the area by the writers, no signs of the road were seen. This is possibly due to the heavy disturbance of the area, immediately adjacent to the modern road, caused by the contractor’s plant.

Before construction work started a trial excavation was carried out in this field to examine geophysical anomalies, but these proved to be very deep modern ploughmarks. During this work, however, several worked flints were recovered and during subsequent construction the following flintwork was collected.

Waste Flakes Cores Scrapers Retouched Flakes
125 5 7 6

The flint was all of a dark unpatinated finish and probably derived from the local river gravels. Three flint axes of similar material, one partly polished, were found in a previous year some 400 m west of the pipeline at SY 95259890 by the local farmer. Mr Chappell of Vines Close Farm who retains them in his possession.

No archaeological features could be distinguished at this stage and it only became apparent later that the deep ploughing had buried and mixed topsoil with the sandy gravel subsoil. During subsequent trenching operations a number of small pits and scoops were revealed in the trench sides. These contained amounts of charcoal but were otherwise free of finds.

At SY 95909908 the major portions of a medieval cooking pot were found.’

Record last edited

Apr 10 2014 12:02PM