SDO183 - A report on the watching-brief carried out during construction of the Ryall Duplication Main, West Dorset

In the autumn of 1989 Wessex Water informed the West Dorset County Council that they proposed to construct a new water main between Purcombe and Ryall, west of Bridport. Since the archaeological potential of the area was not known, an assessment of the route was requested by the council. Work on the main was imminent, and it was thought more practical and appropriate to carry out a watching-brief while excavation was in progress than to attempt an evaluation in advance of construction. The Trust for Wessex Archaeology was commissioned to carry out the watching-brief, which took place during November and December 1989. The main runs from Purcombe Farm (SY 41529633) to Ryall reservoir (SY 40609508), making a detour to avoid Beerlands Farm. An easement approximately eight metres wide was stripped before the pipe trench was excavated, but the examination of this revealed no recognisable archaeological features. The pipe trench was cut in stages, each one being backfilled before another section was started; it was not possible to examine the whole length of the trench, but visits to the site were made once or twice a week. One feature only was noted, an undated ditch running from west to east (at SY 41409675). The ditch was sealed by topsoil; it had a slightly rounded, V-shaped profile and was approximately three metres wide at the top and at least one metre deep (the base was not reached). The ditch was filled with apparently homogenous greyish brown clay. No finds were recovered from it.