SDO180 - Archaeological Observations on the Route of the East-West Dorset Link Main 1989

In 1989 Wessex Water plc proposed to construct a 14 km water main from an existing instalment at Gallow’s Hill, Bovington Camp, to link with the Empool Pumping Station at West Knighton. After consultation with the County Archaeological Officer for Dorset and in view of the archaeological implications of this work, in September 1989 Wessex Water plc comissioned the Trust for Wessex Archaeology to prepare a proposal for archaeological works including assessment, pre-construction and construction works along the proposed route. Correspondingly a detailed strategy for archaeological works was agreed between Wessex Water plc, the County Archaeological Officer and the Trust for Wessex Archaeology and assessent work of the route commenced in October 1989, prior to the beginning of pipeline construction in November 1989. Observations durint construction were undertaken in November and December 1989 by the end of which month the complete water main was installed. The 14 km pipeline was routed from north-east of Bovington Camp (SY 84399028) to east of West Knighton (SY 74188784). The route crosses obliquely the foodplain of the River Frome south of Bovington Camp before following the Tadnoll Brook, a tributary of the Frome, passing between Crossways and Owermoigne. With the expection of the alluvial deposits of the Frome floodpalin, the route predominatly cuts across a series of Bagshot Beds, Plateau and Valley Gravel deposits that have produced the tracts of heathland in this area of Dorset. The archaeological potential of the 14 km pipeline route was outlined in a proposal for archaeological assessment prepared by the Trust for Wessex Water plc and can be summaries as follows. Early occupation of the heathlands adjacent ot Tadnoll Brook is attested by the identification of a Mesolithic habitation site on Whitcombe Hill, Winfrith Heath (Palmer and Dimbleby 1979). Later clearance and occupation is best evidenced in the Bronze Age. A series of barrows occur, generaly located signly (RCHM 1970, fig. on page 534), with the exception of the Black Knoll Group (RCHM 1970, 461). Man survive as earthworks, and can be seem to occupy pronounced knolls, located between and adjacent to streams, rising out of the heaths. Later occupation is less evident. Little Romano-British material has been recovered, much of this only as casual finds for example.