EDO5235 - Southwest Quadrant, Bridport: evaluation 1998 trench 2

AC archaeology undertook an evaluation of an area of land known as the Southwest Quadrant, Bridport in November 1998. This comprised the excavation of four machine-dug trial trenches and two hand-dug trial trenches and a sketch earthwork survey of an area of former allotments to the northwest of St Mary’s Church. The trenches were positioned to investigate the possible line of the postulated Saxon defences to the east and west of Priory Lane, the possible early routeway and river crossing of the Brit and other earthwork traces. Trench 2 was a 15m by 1m machine-dug trench excavated immediately to the east of Priory Lane, opposite the northeast corner of the Bowling Green. It was excavated to investigate whether the postulated Saxon town defences ran along this side of Priory Lane. The trench ran along the base of a linear hollow. The trench revealed a layer of natural alluvium at a depth of 0.75-1.0m with a layer of possibly medieval alluvium containing charcoal flecks above, beneath the modern topsoil. A modern sewer pipe trench cut across the middle of the trench. No trace of a ditch was discovered. (1) (2)