SDO14691 - Report on an Archaeological Investigation at Longham Lakes, 2002

‘RMC Aggregates (Southern) Limited (later CEMEX) commissioned Southern Archaeological Services Ltd to continue archaeological investigations within an area of gravel extraction at Longham Lakes, Hampreston, Dorset (NGR SZ 061 075 centred). The geology of the site is Sand and Gravel and the original ground surface sloped down from 15m aOD in the northern part of the site to 10.3m in the south. A watching brief on soil stripping in May 2002 identified a dense group of archaeological features, which were subsequently excavated during June and July 2002 (SAS 263). The excavation uncovered a group of 92 whole or fragmentary Bronze Age cremation urns and a small number of pit, post and stake features in an urnfield associated with a former channel of the River Stour. Apart from three ring ditches and a single cremation burial, found on the site c600m to the NNE in 1998 (SAS 121) and a cemetery associated with two ring ditches that was found c420m to the NE in 2003, the closest known Bronze Age cemeteries are Simons Ground (c2km to the north) and Knighton Heath (c2km to the southwest), both on higher ground. The urns (of Deverel‐Rimbury type) were concentrated in a small area and all had been damaged by ploughing, but contained significant amounts of cremated bone and charcoal. The urns were deposited at Dorchester Museum on 16 December 2005. The project was funded by RMC Aggregates (Southern) Limited/CEMEX, with additional funding from Bournemouth & SW Water, the owners of the site.’