EDO3762 - Former Hardye's School, Barnes Way, Dorchester; evaluation (Trench 9)

An archaeological field evaluation of former playing fields and land adjacent to the former Hardye’s School, Dorchester was conducted by AC archaeology during September and October 1996, in advance of development of the site for housing. A total of 14 machine-excavated trenches were dug, comprising an approximate 2.7% sample of the 7.88 ha of proposed development. Trench 9 was 200m long and aligned approximately N-S. It contained an E-W aligned double ditched track of possible medieval date just south of the middle of the trench which could be seen to contnue across the site into trenches 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. Further E-W aligned gullies of possible medieval date were observed dispersed along the length of the trench. A pit at the northern end (1.5m diameter, 0.3m deep, irregular rounded base) contained two fragments of medieval pottery. A raised area of chalk at the southern end (3m wide, 0.16m high) may represent the fill of a sewer trench.