EDO5168 - Sherborne House, Sherborne; Evaluation Trench 5

AC Archaeology conducted an archaeological evaluation in advance of the erection of scaffolding around Sherborne House, Sherborne during November 2005. The work comprised the machine excavation of five trenches measuring 2m x 1m at locations around the house in order to ascertain ground conditions prior to the erection of the scaffolding. The trenches revealed that the ground is generally stable and the only archaeological features recorded consisted of buried topsoils dating from the 12th century onwards. The underlying natural subsoil comprised weathered inferior oolite and clay. Trench 5 was positioned at the back of the house in an area of rubble from re-roofing works. Excavation revealed a series of loose rubble deposits which overlay a buried topsoil of unknown date. Beneath the topsoil the solid geology (oolitic limestone) was located c. 1m below the present ground surface.