EDO4791 - Middle Farm, Bridport Road, Poundbury, Dorchester; evaluation (Trench B)

Wessex Archaeology conducted an archaeological evaluation during February 1990, on a field east of Middle Farm, Dorchester, in advance of housing development. Fifteen machine trenches, covering some 2280 square metres, (1.9% of the development area) were excavated. Four trenches contained no visible features (Trenches E, J, K, M); two trenches only natural tree holes (Trenches A & P). The remaining 11 trenches contained archaeological features. These included nine ditch segments, one small pit, three ?marl pits, one articulated cow burial and three modern post-holes. Trench B measured 50m x 2.25m and was aligned N-S near the western boundary of the site. It contained an E-W aligned linear feature filled with yellowish-brown silty clay, 5.9m from the north end of the trench. It had a steep 'V' profile and was 1.3m wide, 1m deep and cut from the base of the ploughsoil. No datable artefacts were recovered from its fill, but is likely to have been part of the Bronze Age field system which covers this area. Two other features in the southern part of this trench were thought to be natural.