SDO15938 - Archaeological Observation and Recording at Bellevue, 2 Pound Lane, Wareham, Dorset, Phase 3

The house ‘Bellevue’ is located within the historic town of Wareham, south of the junction of West Street and Pound Lane. This imposing Victorian villa was built in 1885 when there were no planning directives associated with property development. As a result the house was not only built on the Saxon earth rampart but its extensive cellars dug through and destroyed the monument itself. The large amount of disturbed topsoil present on the site attest to these earth-moving and associated levelling operations. The first phase of work at this site was initially undertaken in March/April 2009 (planning application 6/2008/0543) and a full report was subsequently presented (Ladle [June] 2009). This was followed by further work in October/November (Ladle [December] 2009). Phase 3 work (this report) was carried out between March and September 2015 included removal of the walls on the lower drive, trenching work through the monument to the west and north of the house and on either side of the lower driveway. A total 63 items weighing 929g were recovered, the vast majority were of late 19th/ early 20th century, and probably originated from the occupation of the house.