SDO14684 - B0405 Wood Hill, Charlton Down, Dorchester, Dorset. Archaeological Field Evaluation in Support of a Planning Application: Impact Statement.

‘Context One Archaeological Services Ltd (COAS) carried out an archaeological evaluation at Wood Hill, Charlton Down, Dorchester, Dorset in September 2013. The project was commissioned and funded by Wessex Water plc under a Term Agreement with COAS. The evaluation was requested by Mr Steve Wallis (Senior Archaeologist, Dorset County Council) in support of a planning application relating to the construction of a new water supply balance tank on the Site. The Site was considered to be of high archaeological potential. Occupying high ground overlooking the Cerne valley, a number of extant and buried prehistoric round barrows are located within the environs of the Site, one of which enjoys statutory protection as a Scheduled Ancient Monument. Other sites in Dorset in similar locales are known to include settlements and field systems. The evaluation was preceded by a geophysical survey undertaken by Stratascan in March 2013 and this identified a number of ‘probable’ and ‘possible’ archaeological features. These appeared consistent with a pattern of prehistoric activity including a possible round barrow, ditches, pits, pit clusters and ponds or sand pits. The evaluation comprised 16 trenches and these were positioned to target the geophysical anomalies and ‘blank’ areas to serve as controls. Eight of the trenches produced definitive archaeological evidence and this included two walls; 6 ditches; a pit; a large pit/pond; and evidence of ridge and furrow cultivation. Surprisingly, evidence for early prehistoric activity was modest, most of the features being ascribed to the Late Iron through to the Romano-British periods. Notably, this included the foundation for a possible Roman watch tower and a Roman barn or low status agricultural dwelling. No Roman activity has previously been recorded in the environs. A programme of mitigation combining ‘strip, map, record’ and archaeological monitoring is proposed should the development go ahead and where it impacts these heritage assets.’