Monument record MDO18734 - Wadham House Post Medieval Building C

Evidence for a Post Medieval building was discovered during excavations behind Wadham House, High West Street, Dorchester in 1968. In the SW corner of the trench the remains of Wall C was excavated, aligned slightly west of north with a return at the north end. This was constructed in an area levelled to a depth of 0.35m below the surface of the natural chalk (0.75m below the temporary ground surface). The wall consisted of large flints set in yellow mortar, rendered on the inside with rough off-white plaster surviving to a maximum height of 0.3m. A floor of mustard coloured mortar was laid internally directly on top of the bedrock. There is no conclusive dating evidence for the date of this building. It may be 18th century in date, having been thoroughly robbed in the late 18th or early 19th century.

Found during the excavation of a 27.5m x 3m trench during December and January 1968-9, dug in advance of the redevelopment of the back garden of Wadham House, 50 High West Street, Dorchester. The Excavation has been published as part of the ‘Dorchester Excavations Volume 1’ (Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Monograph 2) (1).

The post-medieval digging of the site has disturbed all medieval and late Roman levels, in some places down to the solid chalk.

In the SW corner of the trench the remains of post-medieval Wall C was excavated, aligned slightly west of north with a return to the west at the north end. This was constructed in an area levelled to a depth of 0.35m below the surface of the natural chalk (0.75m below the temporary ground surface). The wall consisted of large flints set in yellow mortar, rendered on the inside with rough off-white plaster surviving to a maximum height of 0.3m. A floor of mustard coloured mortar was laid internally directly on top of the bedrock.

There is no conclusive dating evidence for the date of this building. It may be 18th century in date, having been thoroughly robbed in the late 18th or early 19th century. The building is interpreted as an outhouse associated with a house fronting on to High West Street, possibly in the position of the present no. 50.

<1> Draper, J, and Chaplin, C, 1982, Dorchester Excavations Volume 1: Excavations at Wadham House 1968; Dorchester Prison 1970, 1975 and 1978; and Glyde Path Road 1966, 3-26 (Monograph). SDO9690.

Record last edited

Aug 22 2024 7:31PM