Monument record MDO2794 - Ditch at Hill Barn, Tolpuddle

A large feature recorded during archaeological work in 1997 in advance of construction of a borrow pit for the A35 Tolpuddle to Puddletown By-pass. Excavators thought that, while it may have been a large, irregular ditch, it was more likely to be a natural feature of geological origin. The filling of the feature contained a few pieces of flint, burnt flint and fragments of late Iron Age/Romano-British pottery; these appeared to have washed in from higher ground, suggesting an Iron Age/Romano-British site nearby.

<1> Birbeck, V, 1997, A35 Tolpuddle to Puddletown Bypass, Dorset. Hill Barn Borrow Pit, Near Tolpuddle. Archaeological Evaluation (Unpublished document). SDO14160.

‘… The full extent and shape of the single feature found in trench B were not ascertained due to the large size of the feature. It is possible that the feature represents a large, irregular ditch aligned approximately ESE-WNW. However, the highly irregular shape of the sides and the homogeneous fill favour a natural origin for the feature.’

Record last edited

Feb 2 2016 11:08AM