SDO12350 - Duntish Wessex Water Pipeline, Dorset, Archaeological Watching Brief.

In September 1995 Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by Wessex Water Services Limited to undertake an archaeological watching brief during the topsoil stripping of part of the Duntish Reservoir pipeline, Dorset (Fig. 1). Each plot was monitored during and after topsoil stripping. Topsoil stripping was undertaken by a tracked excavator using a toothless bucket within and easement of approximately 10m width. The stripping produced a reasonably clean and level surface, although generally the stripping was to a shallow depth and not deep enough to reveal the surface of the underlying geology. No archaeological features were observed after topsoil stripping. The generally shallow depth of the stripping was probably no sufficient to allow small, isolated archaeological features, such as single pits and postholes, to be identified. Major linear features, such as ditches, or groups of large features such as pits or quarry hollows, would probably have been observed after topsoil stripping. Scanning of the stripped surface and of the spoil heaps revealed a low level of post-medieval and modern pottery and ceramic building material. This material was noted but not collected.