SDO10351 - Potential school site at Lenthay Road, Sherborne, Dorset. Magnetic susceptibility survey

Oxford Archaeotechnics conducted a magnetic susceptibility survey at a proposed school site at Lenthay Road, Sherborne during January 1994. Two thirds of the 14 hectare survey area was under pasture, the remainder was arable or allotments. No archaeological sites or finds had been recorded from the study area prior to the survey, although a Roman building had been discovered during the construction of the railway just beyond the SW limit of the area. A total of 1488 magnetic susceptibility readings were recorded and a number of localised areas were identified as having some archaeological potential. Some areas appeared to have been effected by modern activities such as burning, spreading of debris from former or extant structures and inclusion of other material into the topsoil. However, areas thought to indicate archaeological activity were also identified. These include a 20-30m wide strip along the southern edge of field 4941 (the SE field). A pocket of enhanced topsoils in the NE angle of field 3858 (The NW field) spread over a 70m x 30m area. An area of enhancement in the NE corner of the survey area, north of the allotments in field 5567 (the NE field) and extending westwards into the adjoining field. Several, probably ancient, land divisions were also suggested through the survey, on a different alignment (approximately E-W) to the present layout (approximately ENE-WSW) although one element of it still survives as a hedgerow. Furthermore, a slight earthwork was visible in field 4964 (the middle northern field).