EDO4220 - Old County Hospital Site, Dorchester; excavation 1999

Archaeological excavation and recording during redevelopment works at the Old County Hospital site in Dorchester were undertaken by AC Archaeology during the spring of 1999. This comprised the excavation of two areas, A/B to the south and C to the north, as well as a subsequent watching brief. The largest excavation area - located just to the north of Somerleigh Court - covered an area of approximately 35m x 15m and excavations uncovered evidence for two adjacent, but separate, Roman buildings which had at least 4 phases of use, and appear to have been modified and re-styled over a period of around 200 years. To the west of these buildings was an area which contained a deep hillwash type soil, which was both cut by and sealed Romano-British archaeological features. The features cutting the soil which - based on the associated pottery evidence - are likely to be broadly contemporary with the two stone structures, include a compacted chalk pathway leading to a stone-lined well and a large rubbish pit. Also in this area there is evidence for what may prove to be earlier Romano-British occupation (1st century AD), where a large storage pit and a number of post-holes have been identified. The second excavated area was located in the northern portion of the site, adjacent to Somerleigh Road. Excavations here identified a Roman street line with associated ditches, a roadside building (only partly exposed) and a sequence of later pits and other features cutting into the street make-up. There were a number of subsequent repairs to the road surface and ditches. Following abandonment of the road, it appears that a substantial structure was located in this area, comprising a sequence of post-pits, each with a limestone slab in the base to act as a pad for support. AC Archaeology maintained a continuous watching brief during subsequent groundworks.