Monument record MDO18503 - A37 Western Link; Roman road

A small exposure of flint metalling was found in a sondage cut into the north baulk of Trench J excavated as part of the archaeological works in advance of the construction of the A37 Western Link road undertaken by Wessex Archaeology in 1987-88. This lay on the southern edge of the Dorchester-Bradford Peverell road and may be part of the Dorchester-Ilchester Roman road. It comprised two layers of compact flint metalling separated by a layer of compact silty loam and small flint gravel and was interpreted as possibly being part of the Roman road in the field. Two adjacent shallow ditches were found running parallel to the road about 5-6m to the south in Trench I. These were interpreted as possibly being the flanking ditch to the Roman road, but it is perhaps more likely that they are the result of agricultural activity.

A small exposure of flint metalling was found in a sondage cut into the north baulk of Trench J excavated as part of the archaeological works in advance of the construction of the A37 Western Link road undertaken by Wessex Archaeology in 1987-88. This lay on the southern edge of the Dorchester-Bradford Peverell road and may be part of the Dorchester-Ilchester Roman road. It comprised two layers of compact flint metalling separated by a layer of compact silty loam and small flint gravel. This was interpreted as possibly being part of the Roman road in the field (1), but it is not considered at all in the final report (2). Two adjacent shallow ditches were found running parallel to the road about 5-6m to the south in Trench I. These were interpreted as possibly being the flanking ditch to the Roman road, but as they had been heavily truncated and survived less than 0.1m deep, it is unclear what their original form and function was. It is perhaps more likely that they are the result of agricultural activity.

<1> Wessex Archaeology, 1987, Dorchester By-pass (Excavation archive). SDO9385.

<2> Smith, R J C et al, 1997, Excavations along the Route of the Dorchester By-pass, Dorset, 1986-8 (Monograph). SDO9379.

Record last edited

Dec 20 2006 1:03AM