EDO4590 - Messrs. Rossiter's, Grove Trading Estate, Dorchester; excavation 1967

Mr P F Kear excavated a single inhumation burial at Messrs Rossiter's new premises in Grove Trading Estate during 1967. This excavation followed on from the excavation of three burials in the same site by C J S Green in 1966. The grave was c.6.5 ft long, dug into the natural chalk and the skeleton extended W-E. Iron nails recovered from the undisturbed N side suggested the presence of a coffin. The upper part and the right side of the skeleton were decomposed althought he left hand of the adult appeared to be resting on the pelvis and the right hand by the side. There were no grave goods. A disturbed area beginning 9 ins to the E of the foot of the grave, and containing some human bones, suggested that further burials had been destroyed [1].