SDO16550 - 1 Lower St Edmund Street, Weymouth, Dorset. Archaeological Field Evaluation

'Terrain Archaeology carried out an archaeological evaluation prior to the redevelopment of 1 and 1A Lower St Edmunds Street, Weymouth, within the medieval town of Melcombe Regis. A single 6 m long trench was excavated, which revealed a medieval soil layer containing late medieval pottery deriving from at least five separate vessels, together with a number of postmedieval features including a large post-medieval pit (possibly originally a cess pit), two small sub-square post holes and an irregular 'scoop' at 0.35-0.45m below modern ground level. Part of an 18th century brick structure was also revealed. At the base of the trench were natural deposits of shingle and fine beach sand indicating that the site was part of the original sand and gravel promontory upon which Melcombe Regis was founded, rather than part of a later phase of land reclamation.'