SWX8661 - Manor Farm, Wyke Regis, Weymouth, Dorset, Archaeological Assessment, January 1990

In December 1989 C G Fry and Sons Ltd, commissioned The Trust for Wessex Archaeology to undertake an archaeological assessment at Manor Farm, Wyke Regis, as condition of planning approval for the partial redevelopment of the site. The proposed redevelopment consists of the construction of three new residential blocks, the conversion of the existing barn into residential units, in addition to access, car parking and landscape areas. The proposed development area, centred on SY 66107780, is approximately 0.53 hectares, although the area of proposed new building consists of only 378 sqm, 7.1% of the total area. The proposed development area lies within the village of the former parish of Wyke Regis. The Parish Church of All Saints’, in the middle of the former parish, lies 100m to the east. The present church dates to the 15th century (RCHME, 1970,370). The settlement at Wyke Regis is recorded from 988 A.D in the charter of Ethelred II, and the proposed development lies within the presumed extend of the Saxon settlement. The present Manor Farm was begun in the late 16th century, partly rebuilt or extended in the mid 17th century and was considerably refurbished in the early 19th century (RCHM,1970,373). Roman-British inhumations and ‘settlement’ debris have also been recorded within 300m to the west, east and north of the site (RCHM,1970,615; PDNAHS, 1981,131). The earliest deposits identified form the assessment were recorded in Trench C, south of the present Manor Farm building. A dark soil layer, 39, lay above the natural bedrock and contained material of 14th century date, pre-dating the construction of the present Manor Farm. No material of Saxon or pre-14th century date was recovered from this deposit, which probably represents the ground surface prior to the construction of Manor Farm in the late 16th century AD. This soil was sealed below rubble and soil layers, 37, 38 and 42, containing material of 16th century date. These deposits may be associated with the construction and early use of Manor Farm in the 16th century. All these deposits dipped gently to the south, and, although sealed below c. 1m of later material, were apparently undisturbed by post medieval or recent features. Although within the trench it was not possible to determine the level of disturbance caused to these deposits by the foundations of the present buildings to the south of Manor Farm. The 16th century deposits were sealed by a further sequence of rubble and soil layers, 34,35,36 and 41, containing material of 18th and 19th century date. These deposits may be associated with the known refurbishment of Manor Farm in the early 19th century and possible also construction of the building within which Trench C was located; this building was in existence at least by 1864 (O.S.Plan). Within the trench, there was no evidence to suggest that these buildings had heavily disturbed the earlier deposits. The most recent deposits, 30, 31, 32 and 33, were probably associated with recent usage of the farm. While some truncation of earlier deposits may have resulted from construction the pathway, these deposits have otherwise increased the total depth of deposits above the natural slope in this portion of the site. The earliest deposits in Trenches A and B were all probably of post medieval date, although the earliest features, ditch 20, in Trench B was 17th century or earlier in date. No material of Saxon date was recovered from either trench. The small quantity of abraded, residual Romano-British activity c.200m further upslope of the site and probably does not suggest the presence of features of this date within the site. The post medieval features in Trench B are probably associated with the Manor Farm; the quarry pit 21 probably supplying some of the stone for the low walls around the farm. These features have probably removed earlier deposits form the north of the site and the present paddock probably occupies a shallow terrace cut into the south facing slope of the site. Similarly the construction of the farm building and yard surfaces in the north-west corner of the site, Trench A, have probably been terraced into the south-facing slope and removed any earlier deposits that might have survived.