SDO9870 - Trial Excavations and Observations of Building Sites in Dorchester, 1982-1983. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society.

Trial excavations, funded by the Dorset Archaeological Committee, were carried out on three sites in Dorchester. At Glen View in Glyde Path Road and at Autofactor's House in Fordington, this was followed by observation of the builder's excavations during the subsequent development. The third site was at the rear of 37 South Street. This note outlines the archaeological discoveries at each site. At Glen View, Glyde Path Road, it was expected that the northern defensive rampart of the Roman town would be observed, and a possible north gate. A 2m x 16m trench was excavated close to the west end of the site, to a depth of 2.5m. Chalk bedrock was only observed at the north end of the site, the remainder being covered by extensive quarry pits backfilled from the late 17th century. A brick building cut into the upper fills may have been a lime kiln. At the Autofactor's House, Fordington, outside the Roman walled town, it was hoped that part of the outer defensive ditch system might be preserved. Four test trenches were dug by machine, one of which located the outer edge of the ditch system. This lay 6m from the western edge of the site and comprised a cut through the chalk at an agle of less than 45 degrees. In the eastern part of the site modern concrete lay directly on top of chalk bedrock. The presence of the outer ditch at this point suggests a 50m wide triple ditch system similar to other parts of the town. a section exposed behind the eastern retaining wall of the site revealed a medieval N-S aligned ditch 0.6m deep which is interpreted as a boundary ditch for Salisbury Field. At 37 South Street two small trenches were dug in advance of redevelopment. The soil and pathways of an 18th century garden were revealed beneath 1m of modern dumped topsoil. Below this 1m of fine dark loam containing frequent 4th century pottery sealed earlier stratigraphy suggesting that further archaeological work would be fruitfull.