Monument record MDO18341 - Former Hardye's School, Barnes Way, Dorchester; Round barrow ditches

Traces of a substantial curving flat-bottomed ditch and other features were exposed in two trenches during the evaluation of the site of the former Hardye's School, Barnes Way, Dorchester by AC archaeology in 1996. This ditch may be part of a round barrow (the western of the 'Two Barrows') immediately to the north. No secure dating evidence for this ditch was recovered, but the shape of the ditch was typical of round barrow ditches.

Traces of a substantial, curving, flat-bottomed ditch and other features were exposed in two trenches during the evaluation of the site of the former Hardye's School, Barnes Way, Dorchester by AC archaeology in 1996 (1) (2). This ditch was found in the northern end of Trench 2, where a section was excavated through it and in Trench 12 to the east, where only the upper surface of the features were exposed.

The ditch [F217] was 2.9m wide and 0.6m deep cut into the natural chalk with steep, almost vertical sides and a flat bottom. The lower parts of the ditch were filled with chalk rubble and silt (probably the result of the weathering of the sides),above which were layers of clayey silts. The upper fills of the ditch may have formed as a result of arable agricultural activity in the Iron Age. A single sherd of possible Iron Age pottery was recovered from the ditch. Iron Age and Roman pottery was found in the layer overlying the upper fills of the ditch. This ditch may be part of a round barrow (the western of the 'Two Barrows'), which lies immediately to the north. No secure dating evidence for the ditch was recovered, but its shape was typical of round barrow ditches.

Immediately to the north of the ditch was a shallow ditch or gully on a similar alignment, which may be related. It had a rounded profile, 0.8m wide and 0.1m deep.

National Monuments Record, NMR Monument Record, SY 68 NE 3 (Index). SDO9937.

<1> Valentin, J, Dorchester, Former Hardye's School, Barnes Way. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 160 (Article in serial). SDO9426.

<2> Valentin J, 1996, An Archaeological Evaluation of a Proposed Housing Development at the former Hardye’s School, Barnes Way, Dorchester (Unpublished document). SDO9425.

Record last edited

Feb 20 2018 5:37PM