EDO3815 - Mariner's Parade, 41 High East Street,Dorchester; evaluation Trench 1

The evaluation of a proposed redevelopment at Mariner’s Parade, 41 High East Street, Dorchester was undertaken by AC Archaeology during October 1997. Three trenches were excavated and all three produced evidence of generally well-preserved prehistoric, Roman and early post-medieval deposits. Trench 1 measured 2.7x1.35m in plan. The pre-urban soil survived above the natural chalk at the base of the trench, together with traces of a possible prehistoric ditch running E-W. The southeast corner of a stone Romano-British building (or room in a building) was found in this trench. No floor layers were exposed within the structure, as the Romano-British deposits were left intact and not excavated. Some fragments of painted glass vessels were recovered from the upper part of the Roman deposits within the building. The remains of the walls were sealed beneath an accumulated soil buildup containing Roman pottery, animal bone, building material, etc. This was sealed beneath a series of dumped midden and cess deposits containing large quantities of oyster shell, animal bone and 17th century pottery.