Monument record MDO18178 - 7-9 James Road, Dorchester: medieval boundary ditch

A single ditch, probably a field boundary ditch, was found during evaluation excavation at 7-9 James Road, Dorchester, by AC archaeology in August 2004. This ditch was dated by two small abraded sherds of medieval pottery. It was on the same line as a medieval field boundary ditch found during the excavations on the adjacent Thomas Hardye site in 1994-5.

A ditch, aligned roughly east-west was found during the evaluation excavation at 7-9 James Road, Dorchester, undertaken by AC archaeology in August 2004(1) (2).

The ditch was 1.6m wide and 0.6m deep and was traced for a length of about six metres. A single small slot through it revealed a complex profile, indicating probable recutting of this feature. It was filled with a light brown clay soil with chalk pieces in the base of the deepest part and above this was a homogenous fill of light brown clay soil with occasional small flints and chalk flecks.

The dating evidence comprised two abraded sherds of medieval pottery and a small quantity of prehistoric worked flint. This ditch is probably part of a larger medieval field boundary system, further parts of which were located during the 1994-5 excavations on the adjacent Thomas Hardye School site (3). A similar medieval ditch was exposed on the same line and is likely to be part of the same feature. This is probably a headland running E-W defining a block of strip field running N-S, as seen on Simpson's 1779 map of Fordington.

William Simpson, 1779, A survey of the Manor of Fordington (Map). SDO9386.

<1> Robinson, S, 2004, Dorchester, 7-9 James Road. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeology Society (Article in serial). SDO9428.

<2> Robinson, S, 2004, 7-9 James Road, Dorchester, Dorset: Results of an archaeological trench evaluation, 188 (Unpublished document). SDO9427.

<3> Smith, R J C, 2000, Excavation of Neolithic and Bronze Age features at the Thomas Hardye (formerly Castlefield) School, Coburg Road, Dorchester, 1994. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society (Article in serial). SDO9621.

Record last edited

Jul 7 2006 1:58AM