EDO4566 - Gas Main, South Street south of New Street junction, Dorchester; observations and recording 1979

C J S Green observed the cutting of a 1.2m deep trench for the renewal of gas mains in South Street, Dorchester during 1979. Observations confirmed the existence of a Roman building crossing the street opposite the Antelope Hotel. Further south, opposite the Methodist Church, a 7-8m wide metalled road, aligned E-W, continued the line of one previously recorded in the western part of the town. the road was flanked on the south by a substantial building with chalk floors and flint and mortar walls extending for 35-40m to the south. Traces of earlier slighter structures lay below it. In front of the Nat West Bank a chalk floor area extended south to the SE corner of the bank where the trench cut a large oven. Further south only disturbed levels were seen until, at the General Post Office, the NW corner of a substantial flint and mortar building was hit. For much of the southern end of the street, south of the junction with New Street, the Roman levels lay below the base of the trench. Near the bottom of South Street Roman levels reappeared and outside Pitfield's Butchers an oven was crossed. The northern lip of the inner town ditch was observed although there was no trace of the bank or wall. NMR UID: 654556; 1047024