EDO4229 - New Computer Wing, County Hall, Colliton Park, Dorchester; excavation 1988

Wessex Archaeology conducted an archaeological excavation in advance of the construction of the new Computer Wing and car-parking facilities at County Hall, Dorchester in 1988. This involved the excavation of an area measuring approximately 40m x 25m and the removal of archaeological deposits down to the proposed new ground formation level. The earliest Romano-British activity is represented by three field boundary ditches of 1at century AD date. These pre-dated construction of a north-south street which was a component of the early town plan. The western edge of this street was defined by a gutter with a number of 1st and 2nd century AD pits lying to its east. In the 2nd century the street seems to have fallen into disrepair but was later remetalled to a lesser width in the later 3rd century. Quarrying activities at this time may have been associated with construction of the early town ramparts. An oven or furnace to the west of the street was later abandoned and became sealed below a 4th century building, probably a residential house. Two infant burials were found under the floor. A ditched enclosure established to the east of the road contained a corndrier which produced only clean grain, indicating crop processing took place elsewhere. Probably in the 4th century large,a barn-like building was constructed to the east of the street. This seems to have been associated with outhouses, sheds, and fenced enclosures and suggests a semi-rural position, an urban farm. After its abandonment the building was allowed to decay, becoming filled with 4th century rubbish, and was not substantially robbed. The Roman phases of occupation are accompanied by a varied assemblage of artefacts, including coins, metalwork, glass, stone, building materials, and a substantial pottery assemblage, as well as animal and fish bones. The objects are mostly of a domestic character with some agricultural tools and indications of metalworking, an activity known form previous excavations to have occurred close by. This assemblage confirms the suburban character of this area. The site seems not to have been occupied in the post-Roman period, perhaps until as late as the 13th century. During the 17th century Colliton House was constructed and the park laid out. The site does not seem to have been substantially disturbed again until the construction of County Hall commenced in the 1930s.