SWX8571 - The Verne Citadel, Portland, Weymouth, Dorset. Report on Archaeological Watching Brief

Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by Defence Estates, Yeovilton, and British Telecommunications plc to carry out an archaeological watching brief during work at The Verne Citadel, Portland, Dorset, a 19th century fortress, now a Scheduled Monument. The work, permitted under Scheduled Monument Consent, included the formation of concrete pads for secure fixings at the Direction Ranging Direction Finding site on the west side of the Site, and replacement of cable ducts and conduits serving the Watchman Radar site on the northern side of the Site. The watching brief was carried out in three visits aimed to correspond with site work and monitor the impact of the work on the fabric of the Scheduled Monument. A section through the North Face rampart revealed this to comprise Portland stone rubble. It may be concluded that the work was completed without causing undue damage or significant erosion of the monument.