Monument record MDO18198 - New Water Main, Bridport Road, Poundbury: Roman road

A 0.3 m thick deposit of flint gravels beneath the modern road was found during a watching brief undertaken by Terrain Archaeology in May 2003 during the laying of a water main along the northern side of Bridport Road, Poundbury, Dorchester. These gravels are probably remnants of the Roman approach road to Dorchester from Exeter. No dating evidence was recovered.

A 0.3 m thick flint gravel deposit was encountered beneath the modern road, during a watching brief undertaken by Terrain Archaeology in May 2003, during the laying of a water main along the northern side of Bridport Road on the western edge of Poundbury. (1) (2)

Immediately above the natural chalk was a 0.15m thick layer of compact flint gravel with occasional flint nodules in a reddish-brown clay matrix. This was sealed by a 0.15m thick layer of compact flint gravels in a grey sand matrix. These two layers of flint gravels are probably the remains of the base of the Roman approach road to Dorchester from Exeter. No finds or other dating evidence was recovered. These gravels were traced for a distance of about 93m. The width of the road was not determined.

Bellamy, P S, 2003, Dorchester, Bridport Road, Poundbury. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeology Society, 66 (Article in serial). SDO9542.

Bellamy, P, 2003, New Water Main, Bridport Road, Poundbury, Dorchester, Dorset: Archaeological Watching Brief (Unpublished document). SDO9541.

Record last edited

Jul 18 2006 4:50AM