SDO21237 - Archaeological Strip, map and sample, Controlled Strip and Archaeological Monitoring Report: Charminster to Puddletown 33kV Cable Scheme

OASIS: ‘Between August 2023 and June 2024 ADAS carried out an archaeological programme of work for Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN, hereafter ‘the Client’) of groundworks required for the undergrounding of a 4.6 km long 33kV cable route (‘the Scheme’) in Dorset (Figure 1.) The objective of the archaeological programme of work was to record all archaeological remains exposed during groundworks for the Scheme between Charminster (NGR SY 67314 93172) and Puddletown (NGR SY 70806 93146). The groundworks were carried out within the permitted development rights of the Client under the Electricity Act 1989, and therefore were not subject to a planning application. No archaeology was encountered in the Strip, Map and Record Area 1 despite the potential for features associated with the undated rectilinear enclosure (MDO21068) located adjacent to this area. It was noted during conversations with a local farmer during the fieldwork there was apparently a football pitch in the general area of the cropmarks in the 1970’s and 1980’s. No clear evidence of chalk pits was encountered within the Controlled Strip Area 2. However, within the cable trench several, steep-sided colluvial deposits within shallow hollows were observed. It is possible that some of the cropmarks identified by the HER in this area were associated with these natural features. No evidence of the medieval field system with ridge and furrows (MDO21076 and MDO765) recorded by the HER were observed during the archaeological fieldwork. It seems likely that the cable trench was dug close to existing field boundaries in these areas, and surviving below-ground remains of ridge and cultivation does not appear to have survived at this location. No archaeological features or artefacts were identified within the route of the cable trench in the archaeologically monitored Areas 3 to 6. The construction of the existing roads associated service trenches within Area 6 appears to have truncated or removed any earlier archaeological deposits along the alignment of the cable trench in the western part of the Scheme. In carrying out this work the Client complied with their obligations to the historic environment, as outlined in Section 38 and Schedule 9 of the Electricity Act 1989.’