EDO5152 - The former Abbey Primary School, Horsecastles, Sherborne; Evaluation Trench 2

AC Archaeology conducted an archaeological evaluation on land at the former Abbey School, Horsecastles, Sherborne during October 2003 in advance of proposed development. This comprised the machine excavation of five trenches, totalling 55m in length and 1.6m wide. The work identified a series of drainage ditches in the SE portion of the site that were in use from the early medieval period until the 13th century, at which time the medieval town was expanding into the Horsecastles area. Only modern features were visible elsewhere and the NE part of the site may have been truncated and levelled for the construction of the playing field. Trench 2 measured 16.5 x 1.6m in plan and was aligned approximately SE-NW in the SE portion of the site. Natural subsoil was revealed at a depth of 0.60m, below topsoil and ploughsoil. Four ditches and a possible post-hole were revealed cut into the subsoil. Ditches [F208] [F209] & [F213] all contained medieval pottery and animal bone in their fills and were aligned approximately NE-SW. [F212] was aligned approximately E-W and also contained medieval pottery and animal bone. [F211] was a sub-circular feature 0.7m in diameter and 0.18m deep, it contained no finds and may be a post-hole.