EDO4233 - New Vicarage, Fordington, Dorchester; excavation 1982

Wessex Archaeology undertook excavation of the area proposed for the construction of a new vicarage for St George’s Church, Fordington, in the lawn in front of the previous vicarage building, during July and August 1982. Three areas were investigated. Area A in the middle of the lawn revealed that the area had been severely landscaped and the chalk terraced away, possibly in 1897. Finds dating from the Roman period to the 19th century were found in the topsoil and included some human bone fragments. Area B was a small trench along the proposed line of a drain to the NW of the church. The remains of a floor level of a former barn belonging to Parsonage Farm were found in this trench. Trench C was a small excavation trench started by the vicar. The remains of a cellar of a cottage were found in this trench. The negative results from the area of the proposed new vicarage, meant that there was time available to also undertake a small excavation on the site of the Pound and also some investigations on the site of Parsonage Farm, which were also in areas suggested for redevelopment. The investigations at the Moule Institute (the Moule Memorial Hall and Coffee Tavern), in the former area of the Pound, indicated that this area had also been extensively landscaped with at least 30cm of chalk having been removed and re-spread across the site. The small excavation trench on the southern side of this area on the High Street, Fordington frontage revealed the base of a cellar or sunken-floored building of c. 13th century date. No trenches were excavated at Parsonage Farm, which was still in use as a pig farm. Chalk outcropped across the yard and the surface was trowelled at 10m intervals, but revealed nothing but natural chalk.