SDO14420 - C9191: Horseshoes Pumping Station, Gaunts Common, Dorset. An Archaeological Watching Brief

‘Context One Archaeological Services Ltd (COAS) carried out an Archaeological Watching Brief at Horseshoes Pumping Station, Gaunts Common, Dorset (centred on NGR SU 02600 06200) (hereafter referred to as the Site) on the 20th of October 2008. The investigation was commissioned and funded by Wessex Water plc. The Watching Brief was requested by Ms Julia Clarke (Environmental Services, Wessex Water) following a consultation response from Mr Steve Wallis (Senior Archaeologist, Dorset County Council). Due to a breakdown in communication, COAS was not afforded the opportunity to observe the construction works either within the development site or where the pipeline crossed adjacent fields, therefore it is not possible to state if any archaeology was present. However, given that heavy concentrations of post-medieval pottery kiln waste had previously been recorded within the site boundaries, and that further concentrations of pottery were observed in the backfilled pipeline easement, it does suggest that pottery kiln(s) were located either within or adjacent to the site. It is likely that any archaeology that did exist along the pipeline will have been heavily impacted by development groundworks.’