EDO4161 - New Wall, Victory Court, North Square, Dorchester; observations and recording 2004

Archaeological observations and recording were carried out by Terrain Archaeology in March 2004, during the construction of a new boundary wall between Victory Court and the Dorchester Town Council car park behind the Corn Exchange off North Square, Dorchester. A small part of the floor of the 19th century Market House (which once stood on the site of the car park) was revealed. This was constructed above earlier cellars along the North Square street frontage. At the eastern end of the wall, the upper part of a levelling layer of clay was encountered. The groundworks did not penetrated deep enough to expose the underlying natural. At the same time, an opportunity was taken to inspect the cellars beneath the car park. Two brick vaulted cellars were examined. These contained a number of vats, which probably were used for curing bacon.