SDO21212 - Admiston Farm, Puddletown, Dorchester: Detailed Gradiometer Survey Report.

‘A detailed gradiometer survey was conducted over land at Adminston (sic) Farm, Puddletown, Dorchester (centred on NGR 376305 094136). The project was commissioned by Wyatt Homes Ltd. With the aim of establishing the presence, or otherwise, and nature of detectable archaeological features in support of a planning application for the development of the site as a residential development. The site comprises arable fields located 100 m south-east of Puddletown, 7 km north-east of Dorchester in the county of Dorset and covers an area of 7 ha. The geophysical survey was undertaken on 01 – 02 November 2022. The survey has been successful in detecting anomalies of with some archaeological potential. Across the site, several areas of increased magnetic response have been identified, likely associated with modern agricultural practices. The larger amorphous areas of disturbance are expected to be associated with fertilisation. It is possible that the sub rounded disturbance recorded in the eastern portion of the site is actually the remains of extraction pits or small-scale quarrying. Analogous medieval quarrying has been recorded throughout the region, most locally notable are the old chalk pits noted on first-edition OS mapping (1887), 150 m east of the site. The remains of historical cultivation have also been recorded in the form of ridge and furrow. This cultivation is expected to be medieval in origin, due to its curved form and spacing. It is likely related to ridge and furrow cropmarks of the same date, identified 500 m to the north-east of the site, close to the scheduled monument of Bardolfeston DMV. Several ferrous anomalies have also been identified in the form of a metal pylon, a modern service and metallic material present in the site’s field boundaries.’