Historic Watercourses Developing a method for identifying the historic character of watercourses River Stour, Dorset Antony Firth and Emma Firth February 2020 A report for Historic England Fjordr ref: 16391 Historic England ref: HE 7244 Title Historic Watercourses Developing a method for identifying the historic character of watercourses River Stour, Dorset Fjordr Ref / Version 16391 External Ref(s) HE 7244 Authors Antony Firth and Emma Firth Derivation Origination Date 09/07/18 Date of Last Revision 28/02/20 Summary of Changes Status / Required Action Final version for Historic England Circulation Historic England File Name / Location Historic Watercourses - Dorset Stour - Report - 280220 Cover Photograph: The Bay above White Mill, Shapwick (A. Firth / Fjordr) ii Contents 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 1 2. The Catchment Based Approach and Watercourse Heritage ...................................................... 6 3. Development and Application of Characterisation Methodology ................................................10 4. Results: the Historic Character of the River Stour ....................................................................13 5. Engaging People in the History of Watercourses ......................................................................21 5.1. Introduction ................................................................................................................21 5.2. Public Access to the Historic Environment of the Dorset Stour ........................................21 5.3. Local Knowledge ..........................................................................................................22 5.4. Parallels with Coastal Archaeology ................................................................................22 5.5. River-based Citizen Science ..........................................................................................23 6. Conclusion ............................................................................................................................24 7. References............................................................................................................................26 Appendix I: Methodology ..............................................................................................................30 Introduction ..........................................................................................................................30 Base Mapping .......................................................................................................................30 OS Open Map - Local - Raster .......................................................................................30 River Stour Layers .......................................................................................................30 Parish and County Boundaries ......................................................................................31 OSGB Grid ...................................................................................................................31 CaBA Risk of Flooding Layer .........................................................................................31 Archaeological Data ...............................................................................................................31 Historic OS Maps .........................................................................................................31 Historic Environment Record (HER) data .......................................................................32 Designated Heritage Assets (HE Data) ..........................................................................32 Historic Landscape Character (HLC) Layer .....................................................................33 Environment Agency Lidar ............................................................................................33 Historic Non-mappable Evidence ............................................................................................37 National Trust Bankes Archive ......................................................................................37 Bowles Map 1659 .........................................................................................................38 Blandford Forum, Survey by J. and W. Bastard, showing extent of fire of 1731. ...............38 Artworks of Bryanston House ........................................................................................38 County Record Offices ..................................................................................................38 Field Visits ...................................................................................................................41 Other Paper and Online Sources ...................................................................................41 Identifying, Digitising and Classifying HWPs ............................................................................42 Appendix II: HWP Themes and Types ............................................................................................43 Introduction ..........................................................................................................................43 Agriculture ............................................................................................................................43 Association with the River ............................................................................................43 Key Sources ................................................................................................................44 Application of Methodology...........................................................................................44 Examples ....................................................................................................................45 Archaeological Implications ..........................................................................................50 Aquaculture ..........................................................................................................................51 Association with the River ............................................................................................51 iii Key Sources ................................................................................................................51 Application of Methodology...........................................................................................51 Examples ....................................................................................................................51 Archaeological Implications ..........................................................................................52 Civil ......................................................................................................................................52 Association with the River ............................................................................................52 Key Sources ................................................................................................................52 Application of Methodology...........................................................................................52 Examples ....................................................................................................................53 Archaeological Implications ..........................................................................................53 Crossings ..............................................................................................................................53 Association with the River ............................................................................................53 Key Sources ................................................................................................................54 Application of Methodology...........................................................................................55 Examples ....................................................................................................................55 Archaeological Implications ..........................................................................................56 Designed Landscape ..............................................................................................................57 Association with the River ............................................................................................57 Key Sources ................................................................................................................57 Application of Methodology...........................................................................................57 Examples ....................................................................................................................57 Archaeological Implications ..........................................................................................57 Domestic ..............................................................................................................................58 Association with the River ............................................................................................58 Key Sources ................................................................................................................58 Application of Methodology...........................................................................................58