Stourpaine Landfill Site, Stourpaine, Dorset

An archaeological assessment was conducted by the OAU on a site proposed for landfill development at Down End Farm, Stourpaine, Dorset, Grid Ref. ST874094. The work was carried out between 10 September 1990 and 20 September 1990. The site, which lies immediately west of the farm, covers about 11 hectares of chalk down, including the head of a dry valley, all within one field (Fig. 1). At the time it was under arable production. The form of the assessment, under the specification proposed by the Planning Department of Dorset County Council, consisted of 2.0 x 2.0 m test pits on a 50 m grid over the whole field, together with a number of mechanically excavated trial trenches in areas of suggested archaeological activity.