EDO5574 - 'The Ramblers', Bradford Peverell; evaluation 1995

Wessex Archaeology carried out an archaeological field evaluation on the site of proposed residential development, in order to ascertain the archaeological potential of the site. The potential comes from its proximity to the late 7th- early 8th century AD cemetery at Frome View. Excavations in the late 1970s recorded at least 12 inhumations there. The development is also between the line of the Roman Road from Dorchester to Ilchester, and aqueduct leading to Dorchester. The proposed new building site covers an area of 90m². In this area, three test pits were excavated by hand, equalling a total area of 5m². In Trench 2, a ditch 1.5m wide and 0.3m deep was recorded. Unfortunately no datable finds were recorded from the ditch fill. Finds consisted of a small collection of worked flints and post medieval pottery, ceramic building materials and glass. There was no evidence of burials, features or deposits associated with the late 7th/ early 8th- century cemetery. The interpretation of the ditch in trench 2 is suggested possibly being a side ditch to the Roman Road from Dorchester to Ilchester.