Monument record MDO18352 - South Court / St Genevieve's Convent, South Walks, Dorchester; Roman town defences
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Summary
Traces of the outer two ditches and counterscarp bank of the Roman town defences were found at South Court, South Walks, Dorchester (later St Genevieve's Convent, then Sunninghill Preparatory School). Part of the outer ditch and the counterscarp bank were first observed by H. J. Moule in 1892 during the construction of South Court. In 1995, part of the two outer ditches and the counterscarp bank were investigated by trial trenching and auger survey by Wessex Archaeology.
The outer ditch was a broad V-shaped ditch and the counterscarp bank survived as a low broad chalk bank, with possibly two phases of construction.
Map
Type and Period (1)
Full Description
Traces of the outer two ditches and counterscarp bank of the Roman town defences have been found at South Court, South Walks, Dorchester (later St Genevieve's Convent, then Sunninghill Preparatory School). Part of the outer ditch and the counterscarp bank were first observed by H. J. Moule in 1892 during the construction of South Court (1) (2). A section of the outer ditch and the lip of the middle ditch were also seen in a section at South Court Stables in 1893 (3). In 1995, the two outer ditches and the counterscarp bank were investigated by trial trenching and auger survey by Wessex Archaeology (4) (5).
The only complete profile of the outer ditch was obtained by Moule in 1893. The surviving section drawing shows a broad V-shaped ditch measuring about 49ft (14.9m) wide and 6ft (1.8m) deep (3). No complete profile of the middle ditch was obtained. The 1995 Wessex Archaeology evaluation provides the best information on the counterscarp bank which survived as a low broad chalk bank at least 22m wide and 0.65m high. The bank appeared to be constructed over a buried land surface and two phases of construction were suggested, with a primary chalk bank about 19m wide and a secondary addition of further chalk rubble to increase the width of the bank to 22m (4) (5).
Sources/Archives (8)
- --- SDO10007 Excavation archive: Wessex Archaeology. 1995. St Genevieve's Convent Site, South Walks, Dorchester: Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment and Field Evaluation.
- --- SDO150 Monograph: Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England). 1970. An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3. p548 No. 174f.
- --- SDO9937 Index: National Monuments Record. NMR Monument Record. SY 69 SE 323.
- <1> SDO9439 Bibliographic reference: Moule, H J. 1901. Dorchester Antiquities. 3.
- <2> SDO9552 Bibliographic reference: Moule, H J. 1906. Dorchester Antiquities.
- <3> SDO9623 Unpublished document: Moule, H J. 1893. untitled.
- <4> SDO9511 Unpublished document: Davies S M. 1995. St Genevieve’s Convent Site, South Walks, Dorchester: Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment and Field Evaluation.
- <5> SDO9512 Unpublished document: Davies S M and Crockett A. 1995. St Genevieve’s Convent Site, South Walks, Dorchester: Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment and Field Evaluation.
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (1)
Related Events/Activities (6)
- Event - Intervention: South Court Stables, Culliford Road, Dorchester; observations and recording (EDO4205)
- Event - Intervention: South Court, Culliford Road, Dorchester; observations and recording (EDO4204)
- Event - Intervention: St Genevieve's Convent, South Walks, Dorchester; Auger Transect 10 (EDO3896)
- Event - Intervention: St Genevieve's Convent, South Walks, Dorchester; Auger Transect 9 (EDO3895)
- Event - Intervention: St Genevieve's Convent, South Walks, Dorchester; evaluation 1995 (EDO3898)
- Event - Intervention: St Genevieve's Convent, South Walks, Dorchester; Evaluation Trench 1 (Ref: W9421) (EDO3887)
Location
| Grid reference | Centred SY 69527 90380 (144m by 76m) (3 map features) |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | SY69SE |
| Civil Parish | Dorchester; Dorset |
| Unitary Authority | Dorset |
Protected Status/Designation
- None recorded
Other Statuses/References
- Legacy UID: Dorset Sites and Monuments Record: 1 041 502
- Legacy UID: National Monuments Record: SY 69 SE 323
- Royal Commission Inventory Reference: Dorchester 174f
Record last edited
Jul 31 2023 3:29PM