Monument record MDO18542 - Alington Avenue Medieval Field Ditches.

Evidence for Medieval field ditches was discovered during excavations at Alington Avenue. Gullies [2513] and [2877] may be dated to the medieval period on the basis of snail evidence. Ditch [2513] is stratigraphically later than the latest phase of the D-shaped enclosure but appears to form part of the late Roman enclosure system. Ditch [2877] on the basis of its position and alignment also appears to be a fragment of the latest Roman boundary system rather than the medieval open field system. It is possible that these ditches were disturbed during the medieval or later period or had not fully silted up by this time. Ditch [2511] cuts [2513] and is stratigraphically the latest of all the boundary ditches. It is very shallow and contains no dating evidence, but is on the line of the boundary between two furlongs in the medieval open field system so may be the last remnant of a furlong boundary ditch. No other fragments of the open field system were identified on site.

Found during a series of archaeological evaluations and excavations conducted by Wessex Archaeology at Alington Avenue, Fordington, Dorchester, between 1984-1987. The results of the excavations have been published as a Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Monograph (DNHAS Monograph 15). The numbers in square brackets below refer to the context and feature numbers used in the published reports (1). Gullies [2513] and [2877] may be dated to the medieval period on the basis of snail evidence. Ditch [2513] is stratigraphically later than the latest phase of the D-shaped enclosure but appears to form part of the late Roman enclosure system. Ditch [2877] on the basis of its position and alignment also appears to be a fragment of the latest Roman boundary system rather than the medieval open field system. It is possible that these ditches were disturbed during the medieval or later period or had not fully silted up by this time. Ditch [2511] cuts [2513] and is stratigraphically the latest of all the boundary ditches. It is very shallow and contains no dating evidence, but is on the line of the boundary between two furlongs in the medieval open field system so may be the last remnant of a furlong boundary ditch. No other fragments of the open field system were identified on site.

Record last edited

Jan 10 2007 2:43AM