SDO21734 - Archaeological Strip, Map & Record Excavation. Phase ED - Woodsford Quarry East, Woodsford, Dorchester, Dorset

‘This report details the results of a programme of Archaeological Strip, Map & Record Excavation undertaken between the 26th April and 2nd May 2025 in advance of gravel extraction on land at Woodsford Quarry East, Woodsford, Dorchester, Dorset (NGR: SY 77248 89889 approximate centre). The works were carried out on behalf of Hills UK Ltd in response to condition 24 of the Planning Decision (Planning Ref. I/E/2005/0742). Woodsford Quarry East is located to the N of the village of Crossways and SE of the village of Woodsford, approximately 6km to the E of Dorchester. Phase ED was located along the NE boundary of Woodsford Quarry East and formed one of 11 slightly irregular-shaped squared plots of flat agricultural land that measured c.12,400 sqm. The excavation revealed a single post-medieval linear feature running in a WNW-ESE direction across the NW corner of the Site. This was identified as the continuation of a former field boundary that was previously recorded in Phase EC to the W. An irregular elongated feature was also present towards the centre of the Site. Based on the palaeoenvironmental evidence, it appears that burning was taking place in the vicinity of the features during context deposition; however, the insufficient quantities of archaeobotanical and artefactual evidence precluded any further palaeoenvironmental interpretations. Unfortunately, due to the limited results, the works carried out in Phase ED have little potential to address any regional or national research aims, particularly those detailed in The Archaeology of South West England: South West Archaeological Research Framework Research Strategy 2012-2017.’