Monument record MDO18626 - Ricardo's Yard, Alfred Place, Fordington, Dorchester; prehistoric ditches

A watching brief conducted by AC archaeology during groundworks on the former Ricardo's Yard, Alfred Place, Fordington Dorchester in 1993 revealed a number of ditches. These were not well-dated, but were thought to be prehistoric in date. In the eastern part of the site there were four small, broadly parallel, ditches aligned roughly NE-SW, with U-shaped profiles. These ditches were all filled with similar yellowish-brown clay. Two other similar ditches were found running at right angles. No finds were recovered from these ditches. In the western part of the site, two large ditches were found running roughly E-W. One of these ditches was very large and this was not traced across the whole width of the site, so must have either terminated or turned north or south in the western half of the area. The scale of this feature suggests a significant structure. No datable artefacts were recovered. All of the ditches were filled with similar yellowish-brown soil, suggesting a prehistoric date.

A watching brief conducted by AC archaeology during groundworks on the former Ricardo's Yard, Alfred Place, Fordington Dorchester in 1993 revealed a number of ditches. These were not well-dated, but were thought to be prehistoric in date (1) (2).

In the eastern part of the site there were four broadly parallel ditches aligned roughly NE-SW, which were between 0.9-1.55m wide and between 0.55-1.5m deep, with U-shaped profiles. These ditches were all filled with similar yellowish-brown clay. No artefacts were recovered from them. Two other similar ditches were found running at right angles, one in the northeastern part of the site and one in the southwestern part, but unfortunately no relationship between the two sets of ditches was observed. No finds were recovered from these ditches either.

In the western part of the site, two large ditches were found. To the north was a very large apparently linear feature measuring about 5.4m wide and over 1.2m deep, filled with yellowish-brown soil and containing large fragments of animal bone. This feature was aligned roughly E-W and did not continue into the eastern part of the site, indicating either a turn or a terminal on this site. The scale of this feature suggests a significant structure, but without further investigation,its form, function and date cannot be determined. To the south was another ditch running parallel, but smaller in scale, measuring about 2.3m wide and 1m deep, with a U-shaped profile. No artefacts were recovered from this ditch.

No dating evidence was recovered, but the character of the fills of the ditches suggests a probable prehistoric date.

<1> Dodd, J, 1993, 'Ricardo's Yard, Dorchester'; Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 161 (Article in serial). SDO9848.

<2> Dodd, J, 1993, Archaeological Watching Brief During a Housing Development at the Former Ricardo's Yard Site, Alfred Place, Fordington, Dorchester, Dorset (Unpublished document). SDO10070.

Record last edited

Aug 22 2024 7:30PM