Monument record MWX3427 - Rax Lane, to the rear of 41-43 East Street, Bridport: 17th/18th century activity

A number of cess and refuse pits dating to the 17th/earlier 18th century were found in the burgage plots to the rear of 41 and 43 East Street a watching brief undertaken by Terrain Archaeology in 1999. The pits all respected the medieval town ditch, suggesting that it still survived as a boundary feature at this date.

A number of 17th/early 18th century pits were found during a watching brief to the rear of 41and 43 East Street, Bridport, undertaken by Terrain Archaeology in 1999. These pits were all dug to the south of the medieval town ditch, suggesting it remained as a boundary feature at this time. (1) (2) (3)

To the rear of 41 East Street all the pits were to the south of the boundary wall along the south side of the medieval town ditch. A line of three oval or subrectangular pits were dug along the western boundary of the burgage plot. These pits contained charcoal-rich clayey soils with mortar fragments, small quantities of stone, brick and slate, some late 17th-early 18th century pottery and clay tobacco pipe, together with small quantities of animal bone and oyster shell. A group of four intercutting large rectangular cess pits was found in the central part of the north end of the burgage plot. These were filled with cess, charcoal, brick and stone rubble and a small quantity of 18th century pottery, glass and clay tobacco pipe. (1) (2)

To the rear of 43 East Street, three large subrectangular pits had been dug along the southern lip of the medieval ditch. These contained brick and stone rubble, slate, mortar fragments and a small quantity of 18th century pottery, glass and clay tobacco pipe. Further south there were three other pits on the eastern side of the plot. (1) (3)

The rubbish and cess pits in the rear of these two burgage plots are related to activity associated with the 17th century houses on the East Street frontage. (1) (2) (3)

<1> Bellamy, P S, 2005, 'Bridport's 13th-century defences: Archaeological Observations to the rear of 41 and 43 East Street, Bridport' Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 59-66 (Article in serial). SDO10488.

<2> Bellamy, P, 1999, Rax Lane, Bridport, Dorset: Archaeological Observations (Unpublished document). SWX8594.

<3> Terrain Archaeology, 2000, Rax Lane, Bridport, Dorset: Archaeological Observations (Unpublished document). SWX8610.

Record last edited

Feb 16 2011 8:37AM