Watching Brief at Deer Leap, Priddy, Somerset

Archaeological monitoring during groundworks associated with a project at Deer Leap car park and picnic area, Priddy, Somerset, involving topsoil stripping in various parts of the site. Avon Archaeology Limited were retained by the Mendip National Landscape team (formerly Mendip AONB) to undertake an archaeological monitoring project (watching brief), during groundworks related to the establishing of new pedestrian pathways, and bench and picnic table positions, at Deer Leap, Priddy, Somerset. All of the work consisted of relatively shallow soil stripping, and in terms of significant archaeology, was entirely negative. Finds were such as to demonstrate quite clearly that the currently grassed areas immediately to both the south-west and north-east of the car park, had been subjected to extensive modern disturbance, including dumping, probably at the time of the original construction of the car park and picnic area in late 1988 or 1989. This being so, no further mitigation, on any level, is necessary.