SDO14165 - B0395: Forston Water Treatment Works (WTW) to St Catherine's Reservoir, Forston, Dorchester, Dorset. A Programme of Archaeological Monitoring and Recording

‘Context One Archaeological Services Ltd (COAS) carried out a programme of archaeological monitoring and recording relating to the construction of a new pipeline between Forston WTW and the new St Catherine’s Reservoir, Forston, Dorset, over 20 days between 6 January and 1 May 2014. The project was commissioned and funded by Wessex Water plc under a Term Agreement with COAS. The monitoring programme was requested by Mr Steve Wallis (Senior Archaeologist, Dorset County Council) following a consultation request by Mr Sergio Perez (Environmental Scientist, Wessex Water plc). Mr Wallis identified three areas of archaeological interest that may have been potentially impacted by the scheme comprising a Bronze Age barrow that is protected as a Scheduled Monument SM1002851, a group of unscheduled Bronze Age barrows and an area where a prehistoric field system has been recorded. The route of the pipeline also passed through areas of medieval and post-medieval activity. The monitoring programme identified a number of possible and probable archaeological features. These included four undated field boundary ditches and two probable medieval lynchets. All features were consistent with and typical of the known archaeological landscape. A small collection of pipe stems and undiagnostic flints were observed but not collected.’