EDO4542 - West Walks, Bowling Alley Walk and South Walks, Dorchester; observations during laying of a cable trench 1985

Small exploratory excavations were undertaken by Wessex Archaeology during February 1985 in advance of construction works for a new telephone cable along West Walks, Bowling Alley Walk and South Walks. This report summarises the relevant archaeological detail, starting from the NW. SY68959061: Trench cut to a depth of 0.7m through the road metalling of Princes Street. Truncated old soils and natural chalk were observed at 0.45m depth. No rampart, wall, or defensive ditch were observed at thispoint. SY68979048: at this point on West Walks a tip of Roman masonry and mortar was seen at a depth of 0.5m - 0.8m (base of trench), chalk bedrock was not reached. SY69029032-SY69179034: the cable trench along Bowling Alley Walk was cut to the south of the pathway and ran along a sewer trench for much of its length. Apart from this, only post-med garden soils were observed. SY69359038-SY69449040: this cable trench cut along a series of old service trenches which are located along the infilled town ditch. However, to the north, two sections were recorded; at Longsman Road at right angles to the defences st SY69419040 and SY69429040. These showed the northern edge of the ditch cut through chalk bedrock. The upper ditch fills comprised broken and compacted chalk and may represent the levelling of the rampart during the construction of the walks.