EDO5238 - Southwest Quadrant, Bridport: evaluation 1998 trench 5

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 5 was a 9m by 1m machine-dug trench excavated in the northern part of the former allotments to the east of Priory Lane. It was excavated to investigate a possible ditch and raised area visible as earthworks. The trench did not reveal any subsoil features. A layer of natural alluvium was found at a depth of 0.85m with a 0.15m thick layer of possibly medieval alluvium containing a single sherd of medieval pottery above, beneath a 0.4m thick layer of post-medieval alluvium containing charcoal and slate fragments, immediately below the modern topsoil. A modern sewer pipe trench cut across the middle of the trench. No trace of a ditch was discovered.