EDO3882 - Channons Garage, High East Street, Dorchester; evaluation Trench 7

Exeter Archaeology undertook an archaeological evaluation excavation during January 2001 at Channon’s Garage, High East Street, Dorchester, in advance of redevelopment for mixed residential and retail use. Seven trenches were excavated by machine. Trench 7 measured 2m x 1.5m in plan and was aligned approximately N-S in the northern part of the development area. It was excavated to a general depth of 1.5m on to natural clay subsoil, with chalk bedrock only 0.07m below this. A Roman mortar floor surface was exposed at a depth of one metre below ground level. Roman demolition material, presumably from the building associated with the floor, lay to a depth of 0.5m directly upon this surface on the NW half of the trench. It remains likely that other structural remains survive in the vicinity. Both the demolition material and the surface had been disturbed by post-medieval trenching and pitting. As one of these pits was cut from directly beneath the modern tarmac, some truncation of upper levels may be present.