Monument record MDO68 - Prehistoric ditches, Bridport Community Hospital, Allington, Bridport

Two prehistoric ditches were found by AC archaeology during the archaeological evaluation of the Bridport Community Hospital site, prior to the construction of the hospital in 1993. One ditch was aligned roughly NE-SW and the other was roughly at right angles. These ditches are probably prehistoric in date, judging from their character and finds. Unfortunately the pottery and flint is not very diagnostic. A tentative Neolithic date was suggested by the excavators, on the basis of the character of the flint assemblage. However, the fact that the ditches were apparently at right angles could suggest that they were part of a ditched field system, perhaps of Bronze Age date.

Two prehistoric ditches were found by AC archaeology during the archaeological evaluation of the Bridport Community Hospital site, prior to the construction of the hospital in 1993. One ditch was aligned roughly NE-SW and was about one metre wide, with a rounded profile 0.4m deep, filled with pale greyish-brown silty sand. A fragment of prehistoric pottery, one flint and two chert flakes were recovered from this ditch. About 25m to the south, was another ditch roughly at right angles, aligned NW-SE. It was 1.9m wide and 0.6m deep with a rounded profile, with some suggestion of a recut. It contained some worked flint. This ditch was probably also picked up in Trench 4,50m to the west, where a 1.7m wide feature on the same line was found, but not excavated.

These ditches are probably prehistoric in date, judging from their character and finds. Unfortunately the pottery and flint is not very diagnostic. A tentative Neolithic date was suggested by the excavators, on the basis of the character of the flint assemblage. However, the fact that the ditches were apparently at right angles could suggest that they were part of a ditched field system, perhaps of Bronze Age date.

<1> Graham A and Richards J, 1993, Archaeological Assessment of the Site of the Bridport Community Hospital, Allington, Bridport (Unpublished document). SWX8596.

<2> Graham, A and Richards, J, 1993, 'Bridport Community Hospital, Allington' Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society (Article in serial). SDO10423.

'The assessment by means of machine-excavated trenches of the Bridport Community Hospital site, Allington, Bridport (SY 457939), revealed a scatter of worked stone of prehistoric date in the southern part of the investigated area. These artefacts were associated with at least two shallow ditches of uncertain function. No evidence for past activity was recovered from the northern part of the site within which considerable disturbance had already been caused by the building of the previous hospital.'

Record last edited

May 17 2024 11:34AM