SDO21214 - Windyridge Farm, Gillingham, Dorset: Detailed Gradiometer Survey Report

‘A detailed gradiometer survey was conducted over land at Windyridge Farm, Gillingham, Dorset (centred on NGR 381649 126990). The project was commissioned by Persimmon Homes (South Coast) Ltd. with the aim of establishing the presence, or otherwise, and nature of detectable archaeological features in support of a planning application for the residential development of the site. The site comprises an irregular parcel of land of approximately 26.9 ha currently under pasture, located at the north-eastern edge of the town of Gillingham, Dorset. The geophysical survey was undertaken between 3rd and 7th September 2018, and 21.5 ha of the proposed survey area was surveyable. An area in the north was unsurveyable due to a spread of refuse, and existing sports pitches prevent access in the south. The detailed gradiometer survey has been successful in detecting anomalies of archaeological origin, mainly towards the centre of the survey area. Elsewhere, anomalies of archaeological potential largely comprise isolated pit-like responses, along with possible ring ditches at the centre and on the south-eastern extent of the survey area. In addition to these, anomalies interpreted as regions of increased response, magnetic disturbance, and geological features have also been identified. Anomalies of clearly modern origins include drainage networks, infilled ponds, and service pipelines. Two linear anomalies close to the former pond at the centre of the survey area are partly masked by magnetic disturbance associated with the infilling of the pond, although they are likely to be of archaeological interest. The ditches enclose a cluster of pit-like anomalies that may be related. Two small fragmentary features consistent with ring ditches may be associated with Bronze Age funerary activity, although the interrupted nature of the anomalies makes confident interpretation difficult. They are consistent in size and shape with barrow ditches, however. Several former field boundaries can be seen in the western part of the site, appearing on historical mapping from the 19th century and removed in the later 20th century. Three former ponds identified on historical mapping were also apparently infilled in the latter half of the 20th century. Two further linear anomalies are also likely to represent former boundaries, although they do not appear on mapping. Other anomalies include isolated pit-like responses, field drains, ploughing and other weak magnetic trends, modern services, areas of magnetic disturbance, ferrous anomalies, and geological features.’