EDO4379 - Durngate Street, by Wollaston House, Dorchester; observations and recording 1964 to 1965

In 1964-5 that part of Durngate Street between Acland Road and Icen Way was under excavation for repair of a gas main and laying of electricity cables. Christopher Sparey Green maintained a watching brief whilst the work was in progress. Although the trenches were never more than 3ft deep, several walls, floors and other remains were uncovered by electricity and gas engineers who allowed Christopher Sparey Green to record the finds. At the NW corner of the junction with Acland Road and Durngate Street a substantial N-S wall was observed. This was 18ins wide and comprised 5 courses of roof tiles bonded in pink mortar with a limestone course beneath. The northern end was truncated by modern disturbance. A floor consisting of rammed chalk on a bed of limestone chips to the east of the wall was interpreted as the internal floor of a building. Samian sherds from associated contexts suggest an early 2nd century date for the building. A possible N-S trench or pit was observed 10 yards east of the structure. To the east of the junction of Church Street and Durngate Street three further sections of walls were observed, possibly defining a building or room 18ft wide internally. These seem to correspond with structural details recorded in 1883. A floor of white mortar and stone rubble was associated with this structure and a gravel and flint surface was observed to the east of it.