Monument record MDO18545 - Alington Avenue Post-Roman Building 4415

Evidence for a Post-Roman building was discovered during excavations at Alington Avenue. Structure [4415] lay on the same line as [4414], about 16m further NE. It comprised a line of c. 10 post-holes traced for a distance of 17m on the same line as the west wall of structure [4414]. At the southern end was a parallel line of three post-holes, 3.2m to the east. At the north end another parallel line of three post-holes lay 3.6m to the east. There were also several other post-holes in the area which did not fit any specific pattern but which may represent another building or rather the remains of fence-lines running NE from building [4414]. No dating evidence was recovered.

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). A spread of post-holes recorded across the centre of the site could be resolved into a small number of rectangular structures and alignments, all roughly parallel to the latest phase of Roman ditched boundaries. These structures were post-built with no surviving floor surfaces rendering the interpretation of their plans uncertain. There was only one clear building plan [1234] in the eastern end of the site and at least three other rectangular structures further to the west. The remaining post-hole alignments can be best understood as the vestiges of contemporary fence-lines. A possible sunken featured building [752] may also have been contemporary. Most finds were residual or intrusive but stratigraphical relationships suggest that these structures were relatively late in the site sequence. The buildings probably relate to a later land allotment system, which is either very late or post-Roman in date. Structure [4415] lay on the same line as [4414], about 16m further NE. It comprised a line of c. 10 post-holes traced for a distance of 17m on the same line as the west wall of structure [4414]. At the southern end was a parallel line of three post-holes, 3.2m to the east. At the north end another parallel line of three post-holes lay 3.6m to the east. There were also several other post-holes in the area which did not fit any specific pattern but which may represent another building or rather the remains of fence-lines running NE from building [4414]. No dating evidence was recovered

Record last edited

Dec 12 2018 5:42PM