SDO10487 - 'Bridport, Priory Lane' Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society

During November 1998 an archaeological field evaluation, by means of earthwork survey, machine-cut and hand-excavated trenches, was carried out by AC archaeology on the site of proposed development land off Priory Lane, Bridport. Two trenches were excavated either side of Priory Lane to investigate the presumed line of the Saxon defensive circuit. Both trenches produced negative results, although Trench 2 did contain quantities of prehistoric and medieval pottery within alluvial layers. It can now be assumed that if a ditch is present in this zone, it is either located further to the west and therefore closer to the River Brit, or more likely, follows the route of Priory Lane itself, which is sunken at a depth of approximately 1.0m below the ground surface of both adjacent fields. Trenches 5 and 6 were positioned to investigate earthworks in a field of rough grass between Priory Lane and the rear of properties along South Street. Again, boththese trenches provided largely negative results. It is known that this area contains modern levelling deposits and it is possible that raised area in this zone represent this activity. Similarly there was no evidence in a lawn area at Vernon's Court (Trenches 3 and 4), close to the existing line of the River Brit, for the presence of an early former river crossing and associated routeway.