Monument record MDO18742 - Olds Garage, 55 Bridport Road, Dorchester; Roman Grave 219

Context One Archaeological Services carried out an archaeological evaluation on the site of the former Olds Garage, 55 Bridport Road, Dorchester over three days between the 11th and 13th July 2006. The work was carried out to assist the determination of a planning proposal to redevelop the site. Three trenches were excavated. A total of five inhumations were exposed in the northernmost trench, although no cultural evidence was found in association with them, it can be inferred that they relate to the Roman period. Where the orientation of the burials was discernable they were found to be E-W aligned, supine and extended. This evidence is consistent with a late Roman christian cemetery and they may form part of a known cemetery adjacent to Hawthorne Road c.50m to the east.

A number of Roman graves were discovered during the archaeological evaluation of the site of the former Olds Garage, 55 Bridport Road, Dorchester by Context One Archaeological Services in 2006.

Grave 219 was only partially exposed in the excavated area of Trench 2. It was a slightly irregular feature over 1.11m long, 0.66m wide and 0.14m deep oriented roughly E-W. The distal ends of the right tibia and the left tibia and fibula were exposed, protruding from the SW section of the trench having been heavily truncated in antiquity, suggesting the presence of an extended supine inhumation with the head to the west. Most of the feature exposed within the trench does not appear to be part of the grave.

No dating evidence was recovered, but it is likely that this was a Late Roman burial, possibly Christian.

Slator, J, 2006, Former Olds Garage, 55 Bridport Road, Dorchester, Dorset. An Archaeological Field Evaluation (Unpublished document). SDO9930.

Record last edited

Aug 3 2010 5:34PM