EDO3820 - The Grove, Dorchester; archaeological investigations 2005

Archaeological investigations during the removal and subsequent reconstruction of a stone retaining wall along The Grove, Dorchester, Dorset were undertaken by AC archaeology between September and November 2004. The retaining wall is located along the line of the defensive ramparts of the Roman town, which in this location is a Scheduled Monument (SM Dorset M648). The work comprised archaeological monitoring during the demolition of the original wall and the hand-excavation of trial pits at intervals along the base of the exposed bank. This revealed a bank or rampart sequence consistent with what has been previously recorded comprising layers of loam and chalk rubble. In two trial pits (3 and 4) evidence for a possible Roman defensive ditch at the base of the bank was recorded.