SDO20699 - Churchview Guest House

‘Planning Application No. 1/E/94/316 Proposed Works – Extension on west side of building. Grid Reference – ST 6186 9052 The County Archaeological Officer recommended a condition requiring archaeological observation and recording during groundworks on this application because of the site’s location in the historic core of Winterbourne Abbas. The DCC Archaeology Service offered to carry out the work. The condition was duly attached to the consent granted by West Dorset District Council. I visited the site on the afternoon of Wednesday 18 January 1995, when the machine excavation of the foundation trenches was due to be almost finished. Unfortunately, delays had meant that only the trench on the south side of the proposed extension had been dug. The sides of the trench showed about 0.15m of topsoil overlying a coarse sand/fine gravel subsoil, mostly white, with occasional flint nodules. No archaeological features were visible, and no artefacts were seen in the spoil. In view of this, I did not stay to await the excavation of the remaining trenches.’