SDO12443 - Myncen and Goldfields Farms, Minchington, Dorset. Assessment of the Results from the Archaeological Evaluation

Videotext Communications was commissioned by Channel 4 to carry out an archaeological evaluation at two sites at Minchington, Gussage St. Andrew, Dorset (centred on 396925 113950 - Goldfields - and 397350 114300 - Myncen Farm) as part of the Time Team television series. The evaluation comprised a geophysical survey and the excavation of 11 test trenches located to examine geophysical anomalies and known archaeological features previously highlighted in investigations by the East Dorset Antiquarian Society and Bournemouth University. The work was undertaken over five days in October 2004. The earliest features dated to the Middle Bronze Age including a ring ditch - first evident from geophysical survey - and structural post-holes; evidence for activity being concentrated on the Goldfields site. Late Iron Age/early Romano-British activity was represented by a series of field boundaries on the Goldfields site, the known extent of which was further revealed in the geophysical survey. Investigation of the ditches showed they had not gone out of use until the early Romano-British period, though one may also have served as a boundary to a late Romano-British burial group. The ditches are likely to relate to a settlement previously identified in the geophysical survey by Bournemouth University. The date and extent of a previously identified, small late Romano-British grave group (c. 11 graves) was defined. The cemetery is likely to be associated with a settlement within the vicinity of Goldfields or may suggest a greater longevity for the known settlement. The burials were all coffined and one included an immature dog, an indented beaker and a coin (in the mouth) as grave goods. Investigations of the known late Romano-British building complex at Myncen Farm uncovered parts of five rooms - two with hypocausts - and the first evidence relating to the presence of a bath house within the complex. Substantial quantities of demolition debris containing building materials, title, tessera and painted wall plaster attested to the former presence of mosaic floors and wall decoration; a few fragments of window glass were also found. There was no evidence to indicate any direct link between the Late Romano-British activity at Goldfields and Myncern Farm. Post-Roman re-use of the Romano-British buildings was illustrated by a series of post-holes cutting through some of the walls. The evaluation has produced useful additional information on the date, extent and potential nature of the previously known Romano-British features at Goldenfields and Myncern Farm, which will augment the work undertaken by Bournemouth University and East Dorset Antiquarian Society. The results of this evaluation will be made available to the two aforementioned organisations to include in their post-excavation and publication programmes; a copy of this report will be deposited with the Dorset Sites and Monuments Record and a note of the project published in the Dorset Proceedings.