Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment: Dorset

The national programme of Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Surveys (RCZAS), funded by English Heritage, is designed to enhance and update coastal Historic Environment Records through a two-phased approach. Phase 1 (Desk-based Assessment) assesses the data available on the character of the historic environment within the project area, and potential threats to heritage assets, in order to design a strategy for Phase 2 (Field Survey) which prioritises areas where heritage assets may be most at risk. This project was the Phase 1 DBA component of the Dorset RCZAS carried out in 2014/15 by the Cornwall Archaeological Unit and Bournemouth University. The study area extended from the Dorset/Hampshire county border to the Dorset/Devon county border, and included an assessment of surviving remains along the open coast and its tidal estuaries, including the intertidal zone out to Lowest Astronomical Tide with a 1km 'hinterland' to the landward side of Mean High Water and extending up estuaries to 1km beyond the tidal extent. The current project has created more than 980 new sites for the HER and updated another 143 records for sites already recorded. Threats to the coastal historic environment are identified, research priorities and themes are presented in the context of the regional themes and research aims set out in the South West Archaeological Research Framework (SWARF) and specific sites and areas which would benefit from further research or work are also identified.