Monument record MDO18027 - Maiden Castle Road ditched trackway

A trackway aligned east-west defined by ditches on both sides. These had been redefined once by two new ditches. Probably dating to the 1st-2nd century AD on the basis of the finds from the ditches.

Found during the excavations to the north of Maiden Castle Road undertaken by Wessex Archaeology in 1987 in advance of the Dorchester By-pass construction. The following description is abstracted from the final published report on the site (1). The numbers in square brackets refer to context numbers quoted in the report.

A probable trackway aligned east-west, parallel to the contours of a gently sloping north-facing slope, was defined by ditches on both sides. The ditches had been recut or redefined once. The track was originally about 5m wide but was reduced to about 3m in places when the ditches were recut. The ditches were shallow curvilinear features up to 0.5m deep. No surfaces or metalling to the track was found. Another ditch was found just to the south of the trackway and may be related to it.

The snail evidence suggests the track was within a stable short-turfed grassland environment. Dating evidence comprised Black-burnished ware pottery of 1st century BC to mid 2nd century AD date for both phases of the track. A 2nd century AD date for the filling of the ditches is probable.

It is possible to trace this track as a soilmark both to the east and west, where it forms the focus for a linear settlement. <1>

SY 676 894 (FCE) A rapid examination of air photography suggests the presence of a number of features, including rectilinear enclosures, linear features and pits, possibly of Prehistoric or Roman date, visible in the process of being excavated to the north of Maiden Castle, c.150m northeast of Bush Road Cottages. <2>

National Record of the Historic Environment, 983909 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Wessex Archaeology, 1987, Dorchester By-pass (Excavation archive). SDO9385.

Woodward, P J and Smith, R J C, 1987, Survey and excavation along the route of the Southern Dorchester By-pass, 1986-1987 – an interim note (Article in serial). SDO9381.

<1> Smith, R J C et al, 1997, Excavations along the Route of the Dorchester By-pass, Dorset, 1986-8, 56-70 (Monograph). SDO9379.

<2> Miller, Andrew, 1993, RCHME: AP Primary Recording Project, 12-FEB-1993 (Unpublished document). SWX1708.

<2.1> Boyden, J R, JRB 3421: 07-8, 10, 16; JRB 3425: 16, 18-30 (Aerial Photograph). SDO20335.

Record last edited

Dec 6 2023 8:32PM