EDO3816 - Mariner's Parade, 41 High East Street, Dorchester; evaluation Trench 2

The evaluation of a proposed redevelopment at Mariner’s Parade, 41 High East Street, Dorchester was undertaken by AC Archaeology during October 1997. Three trenches were excavated and all three produced evidence of generally well-preserved prehistoric, Roman and early post-medieval deposits. Trench 2 measured 2.7m x 1.35m in plan. It was badly disturbed by several modern service trenches.The pre-urban soil survived immediately on top of the natural chalk. It was sealed beneath a number of layers of Roman date. Part of a probably circular pit, about 1m in diameter and over 0.9m deep (not bottomed) was exposed in the western part of the trench. It was filled with at least four distinct fills, the uppermost of which contained pottery of the 1st-3rd centuries AD and the lower, a single sherd of 1st century AD pottery. It was interpreted as a well towards the rear of the Roman building identified in Trench 1.