SDO14007 - Wareham Grid to Wareham Town, Wareham, Dorset; Archaeological Watching Brief Report

Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by SSE Power Distribution, to undertake an archaeological watching brief during the installation of an electricity cable from Wareham grid substation to Wareham town, centred on NGR 392034 087394. Part of the cable route ran immediately alongside the Scheduled Town Walls, which form part of the defences of the Saxon fortified centre of Wareham. The Dorset County Archaeologist advised that the groundworks associated with the cable trench should be monitored by an archaeologist. A watching brief was maintained during the excavation of the cable trench running from Wareham Town primary substation through the Town Walls, towards the Wareham Common SSSI. The groundworks crossed through the original line of the Saxon burh defences, and were positioned in areas with moderate potential for medieval and earlier archaeological deposits. Despite the expected levels of modern truncation associated with pre-existing service trenches, the upper fills of the external ditch and a portion of bank deposit were encountered and recorded during the investigations. The fieldwork was carried out between the 6th and 20th September 2011.