EDO4020 - Land North of Middle Farm, Bridport Road, Dorchester; Evaluation Trench 42

In May 1997 Wessex Archaeology undertook an archaeological field evaluation in connection with proposed development of a parcel of land to the north of Middle Farm, Bridport Road, Dorchester. The evaluation site comprised an area of c. 2 hectares, and was investigated by 12 machine dug trenches (numbered 41-52) totalling 560 square metres or 2.8% of the evaluation area. A uniform sequence of deposits was recorded in all trenches. Topsoil to a maximum depth of 0.33m, sealed a fine brownish-yellow silty clay subsoil varying from 0.18-0.42m in depth. The subsoil sealed natural deposits of clay-with-flints. Trench 42 measured 30m x 1.6m, with an 8 square metre extension to the south near the eastern end of the trench. It was aligned E-W in the N quadrant of the evaluation area, and excavated to a maximum depth of 1.0m. No archaeological features or deposits were found.