SDO10415 - Melrose, Hound Street, Sherborne, Dorset. Archaeological evaluation

Oxford Archaeology conducted an archaeological evaluation at Melrose, 43 Hound Street, Sherborne during 2001 in advance of proposals to extend and refurbish the property. The evaluation consisted of the excavation of ten exploratory geotechnical test pits in the garden of the 17th century house, and one within the building itself. A medieval possible boundary ditch was revealed in Test Pit 8. It was aligned approximately NE-SW, measured 0.5m deep by 1.2m wide and contained 12th-13th century pottery in its fill. This was sealed beneath a 17th century soil layer probably formed when the 17th century garden was laid out. A possible post-medieval cess pit cut this soil. Traces of a gravel path and former turf line were observed sealed by a later phase of probably 18th century or later soil landscaping.