SDO14937 - A Report on Geophysical Surveys on the site of Shroton Camp at West Pimperne Farm, Pimperne, Dorset

‘This report presents the results of geophysical surveys carried out on land at West Pimperne Farm, near Blandford in Dorset between 2007 and 2013. It details the survey methodology and an interpretation and discussion of the results. The area was surveyed as part of a research project looking at the site of an 18th century military encampment known to have existed on the site. It was hoped that it would be possible to locate features associated with the camp using geophysical survey. The camp was known as Shroton Camp and was traditionally thought to be located at Iwerne Courtney (Shroton), five kilometres north of this site (Harfield, 2004) (Figure 1). Contemporary documentary records appear to show the traditional location to be wrong and indicate that the camp was actually located in the area of West Pimperne Farm. The area is also rich in prehistoric monuments and it was expected that features associated with prehistoric activity would be located. The survey located features which are probably the result of Bronze Age or Iron Age settlement activity, features associated with the 18th century military encampment and post-medieval features associated with farming.’