Monument record MDO18296 - Middle Farm; Middle Bronze Age enclosed settlement

Elements of a Middle Bronze Age settlement were partially exposed at Middle Farm during the 1987 excavations in advance of the Dorchester By-pass. The settlement comprised a curvilinear ditched enclosure containing a single round house in the southeastern part and a sparse scatter of pits and other features in the northern part. A small number of probably contemporary pits were also found outside the enclosure to the north. It is not clear if all these elements were in use at the same as there is some evidence that some features cut through the fills of the enclosure ditch.

Found during the 1987 excavations at Middle Farm undertaken by Wessex Archaeology in advance of the construction of the Dorchester By-pass(1) (2) (3). The numbers in square brackets below are context and feature numbers used in the report and archive (1) (3). The remains of a possible Middle Bronze Age enclosed settlement were partially exposed during the excavations. This comprised the northern half of a curvilinear ditched enclosure with an entrance to the north. A single round house with an internal post-ring was discovered in the southeastern part of the enclosure. A sparse scatter of pits, postholes and other features was found in the northern part of the enclosure, to the east of the entrance. One posthole cut through the ditch fills on the internal edge of the ditch, so may have been cut at a point when the ditch was largely silted up. Two pits were also found to the north of the enclosure and may be related to this settlement. Only a very small quantity of finds were recovered, including some Bronze Age pottery and part of a cylindrical or bun-shaped weight.

Record last edited

Mar 15 2012 10:44AM