SDO182 - South Walks Tunnel Sewer, Dorchester, Dorset: A Report on the Archaeological Watching-brief

Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by West Dorset District Council to undertake a watching brief during phase 1 of the construction of the central trunk sewer in Dorchester. This comprised observations of preliminary borehole investigation in November 1989, observation of a tunnel along the northern edge of South Walks, and an open-cut trench along the southern half of Charles Street. Five boreholes were observed: two cut through Roman deposits and the other three revealed no archaeology. The sewer tunnel cut through solid chalk but three manholes revealed deposits associated with the edge of the inner Roman defensive ditch; one manhole revealed clay and flints above natural chalk beneath modern makeup; and one manhole revealed only modern deposits. The trench along Charles Street partly cut through the Roman rampart and revealed an early wall footing sealed beneath the rampart, an internal road, Roman pits and well, Roman building remains and yard surfaces, a medieval pit, and some post-medieval features.