SDO9605 - Eldridge Pope Brewery Site, Dorchester, Dorset: Archaeological Impact Assessment

Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by Brewery Square Limited (hereafter the Client) to undertake an Archaeological Impact Assessment of the Eldridge Pope Brewery site in Dorchester, Dorset, centred on NGR SY 6930 9015. The Assessment was to help inform an appropriate strategy for archaeological evaluation of the Site, in advance of development proposals. This assessment was based on information contained within an earlier archaeological desk-based assessment (Wessex Archaeology 2001), a topographical survey, a geotechnical survey (C.J Associates November 2001) and ground contamination assessment (Buro Happold December 2001). The site is located with in an area of high archaeological potential for prehistoric and Roman archaeology, particularly in association with line of the Roman road, currently occupied by Weymouth Avenue. In the Historic period up until the mid 19th century, the site was mainly agricultural land. In the mid 19th century the railway line and station was built on the southern part of the site, with construction of the Brewery itself over much of the remainder of the site in the later part of the 19th century. It is these three land-uses which have resulted in the principal impact on any potential archaeological remains within the site. The archaeological potential, existing impacts and development proposals are considered on an area by area basis for the site, drawing on the geo-technical and topographical survey data to help interpret the effect of past land-use on archaeological resource. The site is divided into four broad areas; the Weymouth Avenue frontage, the former station area, the central and northern area and the southern boundary. The assessment concludes that construction of the railway has probably resulted in the truncation of natural deposits in this area and considerable build up of modern made ground (up to 3.3m). The central part of the site appears to have been substantially remodelled, prior to construction of the Brewery, resulting in significant potential impacts in this central area. However there is some indication that the very northern boundary of the site has been subject to less disturbance, and could contain intact pre-Brewery soils. The southern and western part of the site would also appear to have been disturbed, though the extent of the disturbance is less certain. It is only along the Weymouth Avenue that geo-technical survey recorded deposits that might reasonably be interpreted as being of archaeological origin. Past development in this area may well have left areas of relatively undisturbed archaeology. The assessment recommends limited archaeological field evaluation, comprising test pits and trenches, to help further define the deposit model for past land-use of the site, with limited trenching in those areas identified as having most archaeological potential and that could be affected by future development. Any fieldwork would be preceded by preparation of a Written Scheme of Investigation, approved by Dorset County Councils Archaeological Adviser. The results of the evaluation would thane be used to inform an appropriated strategy for mitigation of any archaeological impact that may arise from the proposed development.