Wessex Archaeology

89 West Street,
Bere Regis, Dorset
Archaeological Watching Brief

Ref: 71210.02

89 West Street,
Bere Regis,
Dorset

Archaeological Watching Brief

Prepared for:
Parsons and Joyce
44 Ashley Road
Parkstone
Poole
Dorset
BH14 9BN

by:
Wessex Archaeology
Portway House
Old Sarum Park
Salisbury
Wiltshire
SP4 6EB

Report reference: 71210.02

May 2009

Wessex Archaeology Limited 2009 all rights reserved

Wessex Archaeology Limited is a Registered Charity No. 287786

89 West St. Bere Regis

Archaeological Watching Brief

89 West Street,
Bere Regis,
Dorset

Archaeological Watching Brief

Contents
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................1
SITE DESCRIPTION ...........................................................................................1
ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL BACKGROUND ...............................2
METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................2
RESULTS ............................................................................................................2
CONCLUSIONS ..................................................................................................3
REFERENCES ....................................................................................................3

Figure 1

Site location showing area of watching brief

Cover: View of stripped area from the south

Back: Working shot showing watching brief area from the north

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89 West St. Bere Regis

Archaeological Watching Brief

89 West Street,
Bere Regis,
Dorset
Archaeological Watching Brief
Summary
Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by Parsons and Joyce Contractors Ltd to
carry out an archaeological watching brief on land at the 89 West Street, Bere Regis,
Dorset during groundworks for the redevelopment of the Site. The Site is centred on
National Grid Reference (NGR) 384770 094890 and lies at an elevation of between
45m and 50.5m above Ordnance Datum (aOD). The underlying natural substrata
comprised upper chalk. The Site, positioned in the core of the historic settlement,
potentially contained archaeological features and deposits, particularly of medieval
and post-medieval date.
An experienced archaeologist maintained a watching brief on groundworks
undertaken between 27th and 29th April 2009 This comprised the mechanical stripping
of the watching brief area, firstly to the surface of the natural chalk substrata and
subsequently, following the examination of any potential archaeological features and
deposits, to formation level, some 600mm below the surface of the chalk.
No archaeologically significant features or deposits were located during the course of
the watching brief. The only features and deposits revealed comprised a modern wall
footing, service trenches and other disturbances associated with the former buildings.
All contained modern material, such as frogged bricks, salt glazed water pipe
fragments and plastics. These were overlain by thin deposits of topsoil or modern
hogging/hard standing deposits. The upper surface of the natural chalk substrata was
fairly flat, sloping gently to the south-west only in the extreme south of the Site,
suggesting that the majority of the area had been previously landscaped, possibly
when the former community hall and garden was built.
The only remains recorded related to the former community hall on the Site. No
traces of the building depicted fronting onto West Street on the 1777 Estate Map or
remains relating to the village on the 1844 Tithe Apportionment Map were revealed. It
appears likely that any traces of earlier settlement evidence were removed during
landscaping/groundworks associated with the construction of the previous building/s
and the garden on the Site.

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89 West St. Bere Regis

Archaeological Watching Brief

89 West Street,
Bere Regis,
Dorset
Archaeological Watching Brief
Acknowledgements
Wessex Archaeology would like to thank Mark Parsons from Parsons and Joyce
Contractors Ltd who commissioned the project. Thanks are also due to the
construction contractors on Site for their co-operation and interest.
The fieldwork was undertaken by Vaughan Birbeck, who also compiled this report.
The illustrations were produced by Elisabeth James and the project was managed for
Wessex Archaeology by Sue Farr.

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89 West St. Bere Regis

Archaeological Watching Brief

89 West Street,
Bere Regis,
Dorset
Archaeological Watching Brief
1

INTRODUCTION

1.1

Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by Parsons and Joyce

Contractors Ltd (the Client) to carry out an archaeological watching brief on
land at the 89 West Street, Bere Regis, Dorset (hereafter the Site) during
groundworks for the redevelopment of the Site. The Site is centred on
National Grid Reference (NGR) 384770 094890 (Figure 1).

1.2

The work was carried out in support of a planning application

(6/2008/0048), which has been granted conditional permission for the
proposed redevelopment of the Site comprising a new store building and
new community room with two dwellings over and four dwellings behind.

1.3

A condition for an archaeological watching brief was attached to the

planning permission (condition 6) and stated that:
The applicant shall make arrangements for archaeological observation
and recording to take place during ground works. Details of these
arrangements shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local
Planning Authority, at least one month before any work commences on
the development site.

1.1.1

A Written Scheme of Investigation (Wessex Archaeology 2009) was

prepared in advance of the watching brief. It set out in detail the
methodologies and standards proposed by Wessex Archaeology to
undertake the archaeological works. The watching brief and this report on
the results will complete the programme of archaeological work.

SITE DESCRIPTION

2.1

The Site comprises an area of c. 0.34 hectares and is situated to the north
of West Street, Bere Regis, Dorset (Figure 1). Eighteen dwellings, a barn
studio, community room and three flats were previously on the Site

2.2

The Site has been significantly terraced into the hillside to facilitate the
construction of the previous buildings and there is a change in level of some
6m from West Street. The first terrace comprises a raised walled garden
area immediately adjacent to West Street. A second terrace sits in front of
the studio barn. Further north a further 3 terraces accommodated further
dwellings. Finally at the northern end of the Site, the land was paved and
formed a communal parking area.

2.3

The underlying geology comprises Upper Chalk (BGS, Sheet 328,

Dorchester). The Site lies at a height of between approximately 45m above
Ordnance Datum (aOD) on the West Street frontage and 50.50m aOD in
the north of the Site.

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89 West St. Bere Regis

Archaeological Watching Brief

ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

3.1.1

Although no known prehistoric finds or features are recorded within the Site
itself, the parish is rich in Bronze Age material. A number of Bronze Age axe
heads have been found during groundworks and there are over 50 round
barrows recorded, many on Bere Down and Roke Down to the north-west of
the Site.

3.1.2

Iron Age activity is dominated by Woodbury Hill Camp a univallate Iron Age
hillfort, which overlooks the village to the east of the Site. The monument is
enclosed by a single set of ramparts which include a bank 6m-12m wide and
c. 0.5m-5m high and an outer ditch 9m wide and c. 1.5m deep. An adjoining
area of ridge and furrow, and, within the hillfort itself, a holy well and
medieval chapel are also recorded.

3.1.3

Woodbury Camp is scheduled, and the parish contains 25 Scheduled

Monuments and a further 50 recorded archaeological sites. Less than 200m
to the south-east of the Site, the Scheduled manorial settlement at Court
Farm is recorded. The site of the manor house is now marked by foundation
levels which are visible as earthworks. These include two raised platforms,
two sunken platforms and a probable fishpond. The Saxon manor house
would have been the nucleus from which other buildings within the village
developed.

3.1.4

Archaeological evaluation undertaken in recent years (AC Archaeology,

1995) along West Street to the west of the Site did not expose any
archaeological features. It is likely however, the former manor and St Johns
Church 100m to the south of the Site would have formed the core of earlier
settlement and it is thought therefore that evidence relating to the origins
and early development of the village may exist on the Site.

METHODOLOGY

4.1.1

The principal aim of the watching brief was to provide information

concerning the presence/absence, date, nature and extent of any buried
archaeological remains and to investigate and record these within the
proposed footprint of the Site.

4.1.2

The fieldwork comprised the monitoring of ground works made beneath the
present ground surface, including ground clearance, the excavation of
foundations and service runs in the area to the south of the Site adjacent to
West St (Figure 1).

4.1.3

A continuous archaeological presence was maintained during groundworks

undertaken within the area of the watching brief. Excavated material was
visually examined for archaeological material during removal.

4.1.4

The watching brief was carried out in accordance with the relevant guidance
given in the Institute For Archaeologist's Standard and Guidance for
Archaeological Watching Briefs (revised 2001).

RESULTS

5.1

An experienced archaeologist maintained a watching brief on groundworks

undertaken between 27th and 29th April 2009. This comprised the
mechanical stripping of the watching brief area, firstly to the surface of the
natural chalk substrata and subsequently, following the examination of any

WA Ref. 71210.02

89 West St. Bere Regis

Archaeological Watching Brief

potential archaeological features and deposits, to formation level, some

600mm below the surface of the chalk.
5.2

The only features and deposits revealed comprised a modern wall footing,
service trenches and other disturbances associated with the former
buildings. All contained modern material, such as frogged bricks, salt glazed
water pipe fragments and plastics. These were overlain by thin deposits of
topsoil or modern hogging/hard standing deposits. The upper surface of the
natural chalk substrata was fairly flat, sloping gently to the south-west only
in the extreme south of the Site, suggesting that the majority of the area had
been previously landscaped, possibly when the former community hall and
garden was built.

CONCLUSIONS

6.1

No archaeologically significant features or deposits were located during the

course of the watching brief. The only remains recorded appear to relate to
the former community hall that stood on the Site until recently. No traces of
the building depicted fronting onto West Street in the 1777 Estate Map and
the
1844
Tithe
Apportionment
Map
of
the
village
(http:/www.bereregis.org/Maps.htm) were revealed. It appears likely that
any traces of earlier settlement evidence were removed during
landscaping/groundworks associated with the construction of the previous
building/s and the garden on the Site.

REFERENCES
AC Archaeology 1995, An Archaeological Evaluation of a Proposed
Development at 88 West Street, Bere Regis, Dorset
British Geological Survey, Sheet 328, Dorchester.
Wessex Archaeology 2009, 89 West Street, Bere Regis, Dorset. Written
Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological Watching Brief.

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WESSEX ARCHAEOLOGY LIMITED.

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