SDO15296 - Former Dorchester Prison, Dorchester, Dorset. Archaeological Evaluation

‘An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology in November 2015 at the site of the former HMP Dorchester. Eleven trenches were excavated. In the south-east corner of the site Trench 7 identified deep deposits of made ground, perhaps suggestive of the backfill of a medieval castle ditch. Trench 6 located just to the east, identified human remains at just 0.5m below current ground level and a truncated Roman tessellated pavement at only 0.65m below bgl. Trench 14 also in the south-east corner of the site produced further evidence of human remains, again at the shallow depth of 0.5m. A linear cut was also identified at 1.7m bgl and may be the remains a robbed out wall (cut). Trench 5 also in the south-eastern corner identified a late 18th/19th brick lined well cut through made ground. In the eastern part of the site, Trench 3 revealed archaeological features at a depth of c. 1.8-1.9m bgl, comprising ditches and a wall foundation of possible Roman or medieval date. Other trenches in the area only revealed depths of made ground, which may reflect the backfilling of the medieval castle ditch. In the external car park area Trench 2 identified at least 2m of made ground and it is known that a row of terraced houses once occupied this area and that the made ground probably represents the backfilled cellars of those houses. In the north-western area, Trenches 10 and 11 revealed archaeology of Roman and postmedieval date and at a shallow depth of perhaps no more than 0.55m-0.65m. No investigation was possible in the south-west corner of the site due to the proliferation existing services and existing buildings.’