EDO4479 - Max Gate, Dorchester; casual observation

Inhumations were found by Thomas Hardy during building excavations for his house, Max Gate, in 1884. Three burials were found close together in elliptical graves with sides cut vertically into the chalk with heads to the W, E and probably SW. At least two were crouched on their right sides with hands touching their ankles. One of these had a bronze fibula on the forehead, probably securing a shroud, a flask by the breast and two black or grey urns touching the shins. The other had four vessels by the breast. South of these graves a circular pit, 2ft wide by 5ft deep, had a flagstone at the bottom with ox bones and bituminous material above it. Roman brick, tile and glass were found in the area [1] which was stripped to the chalk for 50ft to the south and west of the area of inhumations. No other burials were noted however, suggesting a small isolated group [2].