SWX8448 - Preston Sewerage, Dorset. Archaeological Excavation Report

Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by Wessex Water to undertake an archaeological excavation of a sample area on part of the proposed route of a rising water main, located to the south of Preston Roman Villa, centred on NGR 370320 082540 and hereafter referred to as the ‘Site’. The Site was situated within a small triangular field, 150m to the south of Preston Roman Villa (Scheduled Monument no. D064) and was situated adjacent to the western bank of the River Jordan. The excavation area, measuring 4x2m, found no evidence of any significant in-situ archaeological features or deposits. Two linear features and a possible pit were identified, all containing material of a Post-medieval or modern date. A number of other residual and badly abraded finds were recovered from these features, including Mesolithic, Romano-British and Medieval material. The results of the excavation support the findings of previous test-pit and watching brief investigations within the same area, which have identified residual prehistoric finds and isolated Romano-British features along the line of the riverbank. These results do suggest potentially early general Mesolithic and Romano-British activity along the riverbank, although with very few features being identified.