SDO14618 - An Archaeological Watching Brief at Bournemouth Airport

‘In June 2015 Archaeological Research Services Ltd. (ARS Ltd.) undertook an archaeological watching brief on groundworks on Site 1 of the redevelopment of land and buildings to install a new business park for AIM Aviation Ltd. on the same site as the existing facility. The specification required that a watching brief should be carried out to observe any ground works taking place for the proposed development in order to identify and record any potential archaeological remains. This involved monitoring the stripping of sediment down to the natural sand and gravel and the recording of any preserved features cut into these deposits. A single archaeological feature was identified consisting of a straight linear ditch that could be traced for c. 20m before it continued under the baulk edge of the site. This is interpreted as the truncated remains of a ditched land boundary, perhaps for an ancient field system of Iron Age or Romano-British date, however, no direct dating material was recovered from the investigation. No other archaeological features were found in the stripped areas. While the paucity of features in the stripped areas does not preclude the chance of archaeological remains being uncovered in other parts of the site, the potential for survival is diminished by the presence of buildings and, probably, more extensive modern service trenches in the environs of the standing structures. In discussion with the local authority archaeologist the stripped areas were considered sufficient to inform upon the likelihood of survival of further archaeological remains across the site. The watching brief was terminated at this point.’