SDO9690 - Dorchester Excavations Volume 1: Excavations at Wadham House 1968; Dorchester Prison 1970, 1975 and 1978; and Glyde Path Road 1966

This monograph collects together the reports on a number of old excavations within Dorchester. Excavations behind Wadham House, 50 High West Street were undertaken in 1968. They revealed a well-stratified sequence of Roman structures. The earliest was a Roman street running north-south beside a large conduit, both possibly of late 1st century AD date. The conduit was robbed and backfilled during the 2nd century AD. A road was built over the top. The remains of two walls were found, together with several gullies and pits of later Roman date. A number of post-medieval features were also found. Dorchester Prison (1970). Two small trenches were excavated on the site of Castle Row, North Square and revealed evidence of Roman buildings and the ditch of the medieval castle. The earliest feature was a mid-1st century pit. A timber building of the 3rd century was succeeded by a stone building of the mid 4th century with a timber outshut. Seven 3rd-4th century pits were also found. The massive ditch of the medieval castle was located in two places. One 13th and one 14th century pit was excavated. The back wall of a probable late 15th century house was constructed within the castle ditch and a series of cess pits dating from the early 16th to late 18th century were found within the house. The medieval castle ditch was quarried away during the 17th century. Dorchester Prison (1975). Eleven trial trenches were excavated over the western area of the Prison. Three large mid 1st century slots were found, one of which was cut by one of three turf-filled pits of c. AD90-100. Postholes of Roman date were found suggesting Roman timber buildings. A 4th century cess pit was found. The castle ditch was of two phases. Dorchester Prison (1978). Observations of machine trenches around the western part of the prison revealed two Roman pits and the castle ditches. Glyde Path Road (1966). Excavation in 1966 prior to redevelopment exposed part of a Roman town house – three rooms with simple mosaic pavements – and part of another simpler building on the same alignment. Portions of these buildings had been excavated in the 1880s. The were probably built in the mid or later 4th century.