Dorset Upper Cerne and Piddle Valleys Aerial Investigation and Mapping Project

To map archaeological sites from aerial sources such as aerial photographs and lidar imagery, working to current Historic England AI&M standards. Data for all features mapped during the project was input into the Dorset HBSMR v6 database via a remote link. The mapped data was provided to the HE as GIS shapefiles for incorporation into the HE Corporate GIS and the HE Aerial Mapping Explorer, and also to the Dorset HER officer for incorporation into the county HBSMR. All data supplied was to AI&M monument recording standards and in line with HE minimum standards for monument recording. A copy of the final report will be deposited with Historic England and will form part of their Research Report Series, which will be available on their online database. The Dorset Upper Cerne and Piddle River Valleys Aerial Investigation and Mapping (AI&M) project was carried out by Cornwall Archaeological Unit and grant funded by Historic England's National Heritage Protection Commissions Programme (NHPCP). The project commenced in February 2024 and was undertaken to Historic England (HE) standards. It completed in March 2025. The project area covers 115 square kilometres of West Dorset, comprising the upper catchments of the Cerne River, a tributary of the River Frome, and the Piddle River, with its tributaries the Devil's Brook and the Milborne Brook. The project area extends from Cerne Abbas in the north, southwards to Godmanstone and westwards between Godmanstone and Milborne St Andrew. The landscape of the project area is largely rural or semi-rural in character, comprising rolling chalk downland and woodland pastures, contrasting with well-settled river valley floors where hamlets and smaller villages predominate within an arable farming landscape. The project has positively enhanced existing baseline data through the mapping, interpretation and recording of 1,316 archaeological sites, of which 986 were previously unrecorded in county or national databases. The results will be available for use by local communities, researchers, policy makers and managers of the historic and natural environment.