EDO5826 - Corfe Mullen to Salisbury Water Transfer Scheme; evaluation 2012 Trench 3

Cotswold Archaeology undertook an archaeological evaluation of the route of the proposed Corfe Mullen to Salisbury Water Transfer Scheme between July and December 2012. A total of 47 trenches were excavated in Dorset. Trench 3 was located in the area for the proposed extension of the Sturminster Marshall Pumping Station. It measured 30 m by 1.8m and was positioned to evaluate geophysical anomalies 343 and 345. Most of the eastern part of the trench was sealed by a large spread of charcoal-rich material containing large quantities of burnt flint that has been interpreted as a burnt mound. It appeared to correlate with geophysical anomaly 345, though similar deposits were not found in Trench 2 which investigated the southern part of this anomaly. The burnt material sealed a small undated pit. Three small undated postholes were found in the western part of the trench. Geophysical Anomaly 343 was not identified on the ground. [1] [2] The record for this event has been created with support from Wessex Water.