EDO4405 - Gas Main, The Grove, Dorchester; salvage recording 1955

R A H Farrar observed a brick-lined conduit exposed in the NW corner of a branch gas main trench opened in the west side of the Grove, about 20 ft east of the front garden wall of Top o' Town House during 1955. Its crown was about 22 ins below street surface, and it was probably circular in section (about 30 inches in diameter) but was not excavated to the base. Its direction was not quite that of the present road but inclined slightly east of north, pointing towards the entrance of Colliton Park. Only 9 feet of its length was exposed however, stopping short 7 yards north of the building line of High WestStreet. The bricks were laid end to end. A labourer mentioned that the same drain had been broken through in the gas main trench in the north side of Bridport Road by Top o' Town House. No conclusions can be reached about the significance of these brick sewers on the evidence available, but they may be later than the Public Health Act of 1848.