SWX9184 - 'Bridport, South Street' Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeology Society

Note on a two-stage archaeological evaluation on the site of a proposed Tourist Information Centre, South Street, Bridport. The first stage comprised a brief review of historical maps dating from 1773 to 1999. The 1773 map shows that the site occupies part of the frontage of two burgage plots running back from South Street. Buildings are shown on both the Church Street and South Street frontages at this date. Between 1962 and 1980 the entire site was cleared of buildings before being used as a car park. The second stage comprised the excavation of two trial pits, each 2m x 2m in plan. Both trial pits contained evidence for intact archaeological deposits, in the form of two linear features and a probable former rubbish pit. Pottery was recovered in moderate quantities, an assessment of this material indicating two separate phases on the site; the earlies in late 12th to early 13th century, the second is late 13th to early 14th century. These two periods are little understood within Bridport, where only limited archaeological work has previously been carried out.