SDO12252 - Archaeological Assessment, Streches Almshouses, Worgret Road, Wareham.

1.1 This assessment has been prepared in order to define the possible archaeological constrains of the internal alterations and separate new residential building at Streches Almshouses, Worgret Road, Wareham, and to determine if the site should be evaluated. The purpose of both exercises is to submit the relevant documents with the planning application so that the maximum amount of information has been obtained for the planning authority to be able to make an informed judgement on the archaeology of the site and for an appropriate mitigation strategy for preservation in situ, or by recording, to be formulated. 1.2 The archaeological and historical information collected and detailed below (7) demonstrates that the Streches Almshouses are not located in an area where there have been any archaeological finds, and were built on allotments. The almshouses lie immediately to the west of the Saxon defences of Wareham (Scheduled Ancient Monument 94), north of the road leading to a gap in the Walls, which is presumably the site of one of the gates into the town. 1.3 The assessment report has been commissioned by John Stark & Crickmay Partnership, Dorchester, by Mr Christopher Read, on behalf of the Streches Almshouses Charity. 1.4 The author is Laurence Keen, OBE, MPhil, DipArchaeol, CertEd, FSA, FRHistS, MIFA, formerly County Archaeological Officer, Dorset County Council, President of the British Archaeological Association, and a consultant for Archaeology and Historic Buildings.