SDO16603 - Land at Leigh Road, Wimborne Minster, Dorset. Post-Excvation Assessment and Updated Project Design

This document presents an assessment of the evidence recovered from the excavation as part of a programme of archaeological investigation undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology between August and November 2018. An area of just under 13 ha was excavated across the development area. The main findings include Late Neolithic Grooved Ware pits, a small open settlement of Early Iron Age date comprising two post-built roundhouses and associated features, and traces of Romano-British settlement alongside the projected line of a known Roman road (scheduled ancient monument MDO5439). The excavations also produced some key groups of pottery and flintwork as well as some small assemblages of charred plant remains. Animal and human bone was very poorly preserved and/or did not survive. A small number of grave-like features in which human bone was not preserved are likely to be of Late Roman date. An iron cauldron hanger of Late Roman date is a rare find of regional importance. The report considers the evidence collectively in its local, regional and national context, and presents an updated project design for a programme of post-excavation analysis to bring the results to appropriate publication.