Monument record MDO18190 - Maiden Castle First School (Prince of Wales First School): Late Iron Age Pits and other activity within Enclosure 1

Five pits were identified around the northern side of Late Iron Age enclosure 1, during the 1993 excavations at Maiden Castle First School undertaken by AC archaeology. Only one pit was excavated and this was probably a grain storage pit. A large number of postholes were also found scattered within the interior of the enclosure.

The 1993 excavations undertaken by AC archaeology on the Maiden Castle First School site (now the Prince of Wales First School), revealed a number of pits and postholes within the Late Iron Age enclosure 1.

Five pits (361, 519, 520, 521, 522/68) were recorded along the northern side of the enclosure, just inside the edge of the bank. One of these pits lay within the area of roundhouse 512 but could not be related stratigraphically to it. It is uncertain whether it pre- or post-dated it or was a contemporary feature within the house. Only one pit (361) was excavated. This revealed a deep pit probably used for grain storage.

There was a large scatter of postholes within the area defined by the bank of enclosure 1, which could not be related to specific structures. A number of these may be elements of four-post structures or elements of roundhouses, but without further excavation it is not possible to determine this.

Graham, A and Richards, J, 1992, Archaeological Evaluation of the Maiden Castle Road First School Site (Unpublished document). SDO9664.

Graham, A and Richards, J, 1992, Evaluation and Maiden Castle School, Dorchester, 233-234 (Article in serial). SDO9665.

AC Archaeology, 1992, Maiden Castle Road First School (Excavation archive). SDO9666.

Bellamy, P S , Graham, A , and Richards, J, 1993, Dorchester First School, Interim Report on Archaeological Excavations on the Site of the Maiden Castle Road First School, Dorchester, Dorset., 152 (Article in serial). SDO9480.

Graham A H, 1993, Summary Report on Archaeological Excavations on the site of the Maiden Castle Road First School, Dorchester, Dorset (Unpublished document). SDO9479.

Record last edited

Jul 10 2006 12:19PM