SWX8322 - Archaeological Observations at: Upton Country Park, Creekmoor, Poole

A rectangular area of 140m² and two service trenches 70m and 160m long to the south-west of Upton House, Poole. The average elevation is 11-13 metres above Ordnance Datum. The geological composition is sand and clay resting on sand of the Poole formation. The fill containing briquetage in trench 11 was the only material of obvious archaeological significance encountered during the observations. Large quantities of briquetage and some black burnished ware were found within the feature. Pottery has recently been recovered from molehills near context 12. This has been identified as nine small potsherds and an imbrex fragment from the 3rd to 4th century. The refired nature of five of the sherds suggests the possibility of either pottery manufacture or brine boiling. A salt working site has been identified by Jarvis (1985a) in the near vicinity of Upton Park, close to the course of the Roman road. Another possible industrial or domestic site has been excavated on the shores of Holes Bay. A recent topsoil magnetic susceptibility survey of Upton Park has indicated disturbance around Upton House that may be associated with this feature. Three coin hoards have been found around Holes Bay in the last 100 years. The latest was excavated near to Upton House and contained coins dating to the 4th century AD. With this evidence and taking note of the available resources and communications around the area the archaeological and artefactual evidence from this observation may indicate a settlement site in the immediate vicinity. Other features appear to be of post-medieval origin or are anomalies within the geology.