SDO14595 - Kinson Manor Farm, Parley, Dorset. Detailed Gradiometer Survey Report

‘A phased geophysical survey was conducted over land adjacent to Manor Farm Road, near Parley, Dorset. The project was commissioned by Terence O’Rourke, on behalf of The Fairfield Partnership, with the aim of establishing the presence, or otherwise, and nature of detectable archaeological features on the site ahead of a proposed development. The site comprises pasture fields to the north and east of Manor Farm Road, on the northern outskirts of Kinson, approximately 6km north of Bournemouth centre. The site occupies level ground around 10m aOD and is currently used as horse paddocks. The geophysical survey was undertaken between 7th and 11th April 2014. Recorded scanning was undertaken over the entire proposed development area of 24ha in order to assess the archaeological potential within the Site, with transects of data collected at 10m intervals. The recorded scanning was followed by detailed gradiometer survey, which covered 6ha, or 25%, split into a number of survey blocks. These blocks were positioned to investigate further anomalies of possible interest identified through the recorded scanning survey and to verify the identification of areas of lower potential. The detailed survey has demonstrated the presence of a number of anomalies of possible archaeological interest within the survey area, along with several regions of increased magnetic response. The datasets indicate a generally quiet magnetic background with a number of isolated pit-like anomalies visible throughout. Such responses can be produced by both archaeological features such as pits and by natural features such as tree throws; as it is generally difficult to interpret these responses conclusively, they are considered to be of possible archaeological interest. Several linear anomalies were identified, with a localised network of these anomalies towards the southwestern extent of the Site. They are considered likely to relate to former field boundaries, given that they share similar orientations to existing boundaries nearby. Faint ploughing trends can be seen throughout the datasets, indicating that weakly magnetised features are detectable through gradiometer survey and suggesting that more substantial archaeological features would have been identifiable should any have been present.’