SDO20753 - Archaeological Survey, and Watching brief on Geotechnical works, on land at Parley Cross, West Parley, Dorset. NRWP2016

'The Archaeology Unit of Southampton City Council was commissioned by Wyatt Homes to undertake a geophysical survey and an archaeological watching brief on geotechnical works at Parley Cross, West Parley, Dorset. A number of magnetic anomalies were located by the magnetometer survey carried out by Stratascan. All could be explained by natural phenomena or by recent agricultural activity. In Phase 1 of the geotechnical works 17 trenches were observed, comprising of 3 hand dug trial pits and 14 window samples. In Phase 2 of the works 12 trenches were observed, comprised of machine dug, soakaway test pits. Topsoil was found across the entire site, varying from 0.25m to 1m thick. This is probably the result of millennia of agriculture, (or processes associated with the removal of trees from the nursery during the second half of 20th century). No artefacts were recovered. Beneath the topsoil were remnants of the alluvium, overlying River Terrace gravels. The results at present suggest the archaeological potential of the site is low.'