EDO4113 - Alington Avenue, Fordington, Dorchester; evaluation 1984

Wessex Archaeology carried out an evaluation of a site proposed for housing development in November 1984. The development area lies on a gentle ridge between the Roman Town of Durnovaria and Mt. Pleasant, 1km SE of the Roman Town, on the south side of Alington Avenue, east of Fordington Farm. A total of nine evaluation trenches were excavated down to chalk bedrock with a 2m toothless bucket. The total area excavated was 800 square metres spread evenly across the 3.46 ha. Field. Trenches A and B at the southern end of the site revealed no archaeological features. Trench C at the eastern end of the site and Trench J on the hillslope also revealed no significant archaeological features. The remaining trenches revealed a high concentration of Iron Age, Roman and medieval features, mainly ditches, gullies and postholes. Trench G produced significant evidence for Neolithic ritual activity and burial.