SDO14671 - Stonehills Mine, Avalanche Road, Southwell, Portland, Dorset. Archaeological Programme of Works.

‘Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by Joshua Eiles-Clarke of Woodmace Ltd to undertake an archaeological programme of works, comprising a strip, map and record excavation and watching brief, during groundworks associated with the creation of a new mine entrance (portal) on land at Avalanche Road, Southwell, Portland, Dorset. The Site is centred on National Grid Reference (NGR) SY 6829 7089. The fieldwork was undertaken between the 10th of June and 26th of August 2015. Topsoil stripping in and around the western end of a new mine portal revealed the remains a Romano-British trackway, an undated ditch probably associated with the trackway, three undated pits, and an assemblage of unstratified prehistoric struck chert. The relative paucity of archaeological remains within the strip, map and record, and watching brief areas, demonstrates that the archaeological remains on the Site are largely restricted to the known Romano-British occupation sites (Stonehills North and Stonehills South) that were identified during previous archaeological investigations (TA 2000, 2014b and GeoFlo 2014). In order to protect the known Romano-British occupation sites from damage during mine establishment works and any future restoration works, the known extents of the settlements were demarcated with temporary fencing, prior to being buried (with the topsoil left in-situ) beneath a 1 m thick layer of pale clay. The use of pale clay, which contrasts with the dark topsoil, will allow the interface between the two layers to be easily recognised and help to avoid any inadvertent damage to the underlying archaeological remains during any future landscaping works.’