EDO3905 - Colliton Street Youth Centre, Dorchester; Evaluation Trench 4

Wessex Archaeology undertook an archaeological field evaluation at Colliton Street Youth Centre in advance of the proposed redevelopment of the site. The evaluation comprised four machine-dug trenches, totalling 20m in length and averaging 1.7m wide (totalling 2.3% of the site area). Chalk bedrock was recorded in the base of all four trenches and a natural drop of 2.19m was recorded from the south to the north of the site. Trench 4 was 4m long, aligned approximately ENE-WSW, and located in the SW corner of the site. The trench was excavated down to the top of chalk bedrock which was encountered at a depth of 0.3m below ground level. Six features were recorded: two post-holes containing Romano-British pottery; two features containing post-medieval pottery; and two undated features (a post-hole visible only in section and a possible wall). The wall was partially robbed out in the post-medieval period and may also be of this date. The Romano-British post-holes were cut into the chalk bedrock.