SDO21963 - Archaeological assessment of land east of New Road, West Parley, Dorset

‘The Archaeology Unit of Southampton City Council was commissioned by Lewis Wyatt (Construction) Ltd to carry out an assessment of the archaeological implications of development of land at Parley Cross, West Parley, Dorset. The assessment involved collection of data about the archaeology in the area of the site, a geophysical survey, and two watching briefs on geotechnical work to gather information on the deposits present and any archaeological artifacts that they contained. The assessment also considered the affect the development could have on Dudsbury Camp, a hillfort which lies to the west of the site. A search of the Dorset Historic Environment Record showed that no archaeological sites or finds have been discovered within the site, but there is evidence of use of the surrounding area since the Mesolithic period with a significant collection of Bronze Age burial mounds on the heathland to the north. The burial mounds tend to lie on land over 30m OD so it is unlikely the barrow cemetery extends into the site. In the Iron Age period Dudsbury Camp was constructed to the west of the site. Small scale excavations there have revealed few finds and it is possible that it was principally built as a refuge rather than a place of permanent settlement, with the people living in scattered farmsteads around the hillfort, farming the land on the flood plain, including the site. This model of settlement probably continued into the Roman period and Roman pottery has been recovered to the east and west of the site. In the medieval period the manor and church of West Parley were situated to the south of the site. A detailed gradiometry survey was conducted over the site. No archaeological anomalies were detected. A number of former field boundaries and evidence of modern ploughing indicate that the site has had a largely agricultural past. Other features include a former gravel pit, a trackway, a possible non-ferrous service, areas of natural magnetic variation and disturbance from nearby ferrous metal objects. Examination of historic maps suggests that the area has been used for agriculture for at least 200 years, with intensive horticulture as a plant nursery in the 20th century. The watching brief on the geotechnical works found no evidence of archaeological features or artifacts. The topsoil layer was found to be up to 1.2m thick; the landowner suggests this is the result of the removal of the nursery during which the site was bulldozed. Analysis of the Scheduled Monument of Dudsbury Camp and its setting suggests that neither the monument nor its setting will be affected by the proposed development. There are other developments in the area proposed and in progress; it is not felt that this development in conjunction with the others will give rise to a significant effect on the historic environment. It is considered that the archaeological potential of the site is Low, and a programme of archaeological mitigation would not be required prior to or during the development.’