Monument record MDO18718 - A37 Western Link; Late Iron Age/ Early Roman Pit 363

Evidence for a Late Iron Age/ Early Roman Pit was discovered during excavations along the route of the Dorchester By-pass, Western Link. An isolated storage pit was excavated in Trench G. This was circular, 1.9m in diameter and 2.28m deep with vertical sides and a flat base, filled with a series of brown silty clays and a mineralised deposit with much charcoal near the base. The top of the silted up pit was disturbed by Early Roman grave [444]. Only the upper fills contained finds. Several sherds of 1st century BC/AD BBW were recovered as well as one of 2nd century form, The remains of two partial sheep skeletons and a small piece of tile.

Found during a programme of archaeological work conducted by Wessex Archaeology along the route of the Dorchester By-pass, Western Link, Fordington Bottom, Dorchester between 1986 and 1988. The results of the excavations have been published as a Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Monograph; (DNHAS Monograph 11). The numbers in square brackets below refer to the context and feature numbers used in the published report (1).

A series of features was recorded in Trenches F and G/H south of the main area of burial in Trench K. Most are poorly dated by artefacts but were stratigraphically early and they may represent sporadic activity during the 1st century AD.

An isolated storage pit was excavated in Trench G. This was circular, 1.9m in diameter and 2.28m deep with vertical sides and a flat base, filled with a series of brown silty clays and a mineralised deposit with much charcoal near the base. The top of the silted up pit was disturbed by Early Roman grave [444]. Only the upper fills contained finds. Several sherds of 1st century BC/AD BBW were recovered as well as one of 2nd century form, The remains of two partial sheep skeletons and a small piece of tile.

<1> Smith, R J C et al, 1997, Excavations along the Route of the Dorchester By-pass, Dorset, 1986-8, 203-223 (Monograph). SDO9379.

Record last edited

Jan 26 2007 5:52AM