EDO5237 - Southwest Quadrant, Bridport: evaluation 1998 trench 4

AC archaeology undertook an evaluation of an area of land known as the Southwest Quadrant, Bridport in November 1998. This comprised the excavation of four machine-dug trial trenches and two hand-dug trial trenches and a sketch earthwork survey of an area of former allotments to the northwest of St Mary’s Church. The trenches were positioned to investigate the possible line of the postulated Saxon defences to the east and west of Priory Lane, the possible early routeway and river crossing of the Brit and other earthwork traces. Trench 4 was a 2m by 1m by 0.8m hand-dug trench excavated immediately to the south of the road down to St Mary’s Bridge, on a lawn adjacent to flats and houses. This trench was positioned to investigate the position of a former routeway leading from the possible river crossing to the west. The trench revealed a layer of natural alluvium at a depth of 0.8m, with a layer of post-medieval alluvium 0.3m thick above, immediately below the topsoil. No evidence of a former routeway was found. (1) (2)