SWX8564 - Land off Reap Lane, Sweethill, Southwell, Portland, Dorset: Archaeological Evaluation; Stage 2

A two-stage archaeological evaluation was carried out on a 4.6 ha site in a shallow coombe in Southwell, Portland. Stage 1 comprised test-pitting, surface collection and machine-trenching. A general scatter of finds dating from the Mesolithic to the Iron Age was encountered across the whole of the site and significant remains were found in the northern half, buried below a layer of colluvium of probable late prehistoric date. These included a possible Early Neolithic site and the well-preserved remains of a round house of later prehistoric (Iron Age?) character. Stage 2 was designed specifically to evaluate the possibility of further structures associated with the round house. Five trenches were dug on all sides of the house but no further structures were encountered. There was a probable yard surface to the east and some burnt deposits to the north. Another trench was dug to evaluate a further area of in situ archaeology revealed during Stage 1. A single dry stone wall was found overlying an earlier stony surface.