EDO4859 - A37 Western Link Road; Trench E

Wessex Archaeology undertook a programme of archaeological evaluation and excavation along the line of the A37 Western Link road in advance of road construction, between Autumn 1987 to March 1988. This trench was originally a machine-cut trial trench measuring 25m by 2.5m across, which was subsequently enlarged to investigate an occupation terrace found at its eastern end. The western (downslope) part of the trench revealed a colluvial deposit with complex sequence of recut lynchets. In the eastern part of the trench was a shallow chalk-cut terrace which contained the remains of a rectangular structure with a stone sleeper wall with stone pads for a timber framed superstructure. A rectangular hearth was found in the middle of the structure and the remains of two rammed chalk floors were found. A large number of finds were found in association with this building, which may have been constructed in the 3rd century AD. To the west of the building was a yard with an oven.