SDO14478 - 1 West Walks, Dorchester, Dorset. Observations and Recording.

‘Terrain Archaeology undertook archaeological observations and recording during the lowering of the cellar floor at 1 West Walks, Dorchester. The site directly overlies the western part of the Roman town defences. A north-south linear foundation over 2.6 m wide was discovered at a depth of about 2.3 m below modern external ground level. This structure comprised three layers of packed flint nodules and other stone separated by layers of rammed chalk and capped with a thin skim of mortar within a flat-based trench 0.45m deep. Finds from the foundation make-up comprise ceramic roof tile and brick, a Dressel 20 amphora handle and a fragment of Niedermendig lava quern. Observations of an almost identical feature have been made previously along the southern part of the Roman town defences along Bowling Alley Walk and South Walks. This feature is difficult to interpret but appears to be the remains of a substantial wall footing for an early masonry town wall, possibly never completed, and subsequently buried beneath the ?3rd/4th century rampart.’