SDO16304 - Former Hall and Woodhouse Brewery, Bournemouth Road, Blandford St Mary, Dorset. Archaeological Evaluation

‘An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology in January 2018 at the Former Hall and Woodhouse Brewery, Blandford St Mary, Dorset. Only five of the six planned trenches were excavated. This was due to the high degree of ground disturbance across the site, including the presence of services and contamination. Despite the archaeological potential of the wider site and its environs, no archaeological features or deposits were encountered, other than some residual flints, found within Trench 3 and 4, which are likely to have been deposited by alluvial action during a flood event prior to the construction of the brewery. The density of existing services provision is considerable and there are many more than those actually mapped. Widespread heavy truncation from the existing buildings on the site can be anticipated. There is also evidence of contamination around Trench 5 and a considerable depth of make-up around Trenches 6 and 7. This sort of evidence mirrors that from other former brewery sites investigated over recent years. For example that at Dorchester (Former Eldridge Pope Brewery Site) where there was extensive evidence of cut and fill activity in order to level out the site. There was also extensive truncation from foundations and the installation of multiple services. It would appear therefore that the only area warranting further investigation (in the form of a watching brief) would be that within the footprint of the proposed outfall to the north-west of the main development footprint which is to be cut through previously undisturbed ground.’