EDO6709 - Former Christian Science Society Church, Rax Lane, Bridport; observations and recording 2019

Observations and recording during demolition of a former church building and groundworks for construction of three new dwellings. Groundworks included the reduction of the ground by around 1.1m apart from a strip at the edge which was left intact. The trenches for the footings were excavated by machine and measured 0.7m wide and 0.35 to 0.45m deep at the higher northern end of the site, and 1.5 to 1.4m deep at the southern end. Due to the level of the ground reduction, archaeological stratigraphy was only recordable at the sides and base of the trenches although cleaning back of an area at the southern end of the site to the top of the archaeological stratigraphy was possible. A layer of soil containing a small mount of medieval pottery was found across the southern part of the site, possibly indicating a former burgage plot. Medieval features identified included two pits, one containing possible 12th-century pottery, and evidence of the former town ditch and bank at the north corner of the site. Remains of possible post-medieval walls at the eastern and southern sides of the site were identified together with an unidentified structure, perhaps an outhouse, of possible 18th century date. 18 pits were revealed in two groups at the north and south ends of the site, some in an intercutting line; small quantities of finds suggested that these were of 18th or 19th-century date. Four post holes were recorded in the southern part of the site but not excavated.