EDO4656 - 33 Trinity Street, Dorchester; observations and recording 1997

C J S Green observed three foundation pits at 33 Trinity Street, Dorchester during 1997. Each pit was dug to a depth of 1.75m and similar deposits were exposed in all three. "Beneath 0.7m to 1.00m of dark grey garden soil, a deposit of dark silt, 0.3m thick, containing flint and mortar rubble and late Roman pottery was observed in section. This deposit was most prominent to the west, thinning to the east and dropping slightly in level. Below this was approximately 0.4m of grey-brown chalky silts containing occupation material and some mortar rubble. In the very base of the trenches was a lighter brown, slightly clayey soil and chalk rubble. Natural chalk was not exposed."(1) The site was siginficant in that it showed the depth and richness of occupation deposits in this area of the town. The finds were notable for the many large unabraded sherds of Roman pottery from the 1st-4th century that were recovered, including early wares such as Spanish globular amphorae, several types of mortaria and samian of pre-Flavian to Hadrianic date. The occurrence of mid 1st century AD material is of note (1).