EDO4392 - New Library Site, Colliton Park, Dorchester; rescue excavation 1961 to 1963

In April 1961, Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society was given the opportunity to carry out a 'rescue dig' on a site in Colliton Park, Dorchester, where Dorset County Council proposed to build the new County Library. The proposed excavation was to take only two weeks but, as the building programme was postponed owing to financial considerations, two more periods of digging were undertaken in 1962 and 1963. A geophysical survey preceded the excavation. The excavation revealed a large amount of Roman activity. Several large pits were found in the eastern part of the site filled with 1st century material. At the western end of the site, the earliest feature was a large shallow cut oriented N-S. A road was constructed along the back of the rampart overlying this feature. It appears to have been replaced by a second road. To the east of the road were two succeeding stone-footed buildings. At the eastern end of the site, were the traces of two further buildings. A large number of ovens were found, some which are earlier and some which are later than the buildings. A post-built timber building was also recognised.