SDO15235 - The Bourne Academy, Kings High School, Hadow Street, Bournemouth, Dorset. Archaeological Watching Brief

‘Bournemouth Archaeology was commissioned by Balfour Beatty to undertake an archaeological watching brief during all ground works on land at Kings High School, Hadow Road, Bournemouth between May 2012 and July 2013. The project was necessary for the fulfilment of Planning Application 7-2011-1272-AJ, planning condition 22, and was carried out under the remit of a Written Scheme of Investigation prepared by AECOM Ltd. An intensive watching brief was carried out during all periods of ground works carried out in areas of previously undisturbed ground and areas excavated for exploratory trenches. These were confined to areas where no established buildings existed, as well as car parks, the playing field areas to the north and north east of the current school buildings. An intermittent watching brief was also carried out during ground works associated with foundations for new buildings and all ground works in previously disturbed areas. A single archaeological feature was identified in in Area a. The feature had been truncated on the southern and western sides by foundation trenches and the full extent of the feature was therefore impossible to define. Containing a single homogenous fill, this feature may have been backfilled in a deliberate event. Unfortunately it was not possible to date this features as no artefacts were recovered. A total of 21 artefacts were recovered from the areas monitored under the watching brief, including three flints, 15 pottery sherds and three nails. All finds are from unsecure contexts during the topsoil stripping in Area a, with the exception of three corroded iron nails which were recovered from Area d. As such they represent evidence of archaeological activity on the site, rather than directly relating to recognisable archaeological features. The presence of prehistoric flints suggest some level of prehistoric activity in the immediate vicinity of the site, while the dense black-fabric pottery sherds are also indicative of occupation or settlement however their poor state of preservation makes them impossible to date. The post-medieval pottery and iron nails represent modern material and are typical of such sites. This report constitutes the final results of the archaeological watching brief.’