SDO9379 - Excavations along the Route of the Dorchester By-pass, Dorset, 1986-8

This report presents the results of archaeological survey and excavation works undertaken between 1986 and 1988 prior to and during the construction of the A35 Southern By-pass and the A37 Western Link Road, which together by-pass the town of Dorchester, Dorset. The aims of the archaeological programme were not only to rescue and record the archaeological features and deposits to be disturbed and destroyed by road construction but also to present the results as an overall study of the landscape development of Dorchester and its environs. Part 1 describes the geomorphological, archaeological, and developmental background to both road schemes. This is followed, in Part 2, by the description of the site data and material evidence for the excavations along the A35 Southern By-pass; in Part 3 by the results of the excavations on the A37 Western Link Road; and concludes, in Part 4, with an overall discussion of the landscape development of the environs of Dorchester. The earliest features were two early 4th millenium pits at Flagstones. The principal feature at Flagstones was a Neolithic enclosure dug as a series of pits and dated to the late 4th-early 3rd millenium cal. BC. Two later Neolithic pit-rings were recorded at Conygar Hill. Four ring ditches, ploughed out remnants of a linear round barrow cemetery, were found at Maiden Castle Farm. Another round barrow was found in the centre of the Flagstones enclosure. Beaker pottery and postholes were found under colluvium at Middle Farm. Mid 2nd millenium BC settlements comprising post-built structures within ditched enclosures surrounded by fields were found at Middle Farm, and possibly Fordington Bottom and Bridport Road Ridge. Evidence of Late Bronze Age activity was limited to small quantity of pottery sherds. There was no evidence for settlement from the earliest Iron Age to the 1st century BC. Late Iron Age features include enclosure ditch, pits, burials and field system at Flagstones. Two rural Roman settlements were investigated at Maiden Castle Road and at Fordington Bottom, with a small amount of 1st century evidence but much more concentrated activity in the 3rd-4th century AD. There is a possible post-Roman sunken floored building at St George’s Road and three field systems dating from the Middle Saxon period to the 14th century. Several medieval field ditches were discovered elsewhere along the route of the by-pass. A late medieval agricultural building was found at St George’s Road.