SDO9490 - 'Archaeological Evaluation at Southfield House, Dorchester, Dorset' Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society

Southfield House lies across the line of the southern defences of the Roman town of Durnovaria, immediately east of the the suggested site of the south gate and the road to Radipole (Weymouth). Following the observation of eight test pits excavated by developers in 1986, Wimpy Home Holdings Ltd. commissioned and funded an evaluation of the site, which was carried out by Wessex Archaeology during June and July 1987. Six trial trenches were excavated by machine in the garden of Southfield House, all aligned N-S across the line of the late Roman defences. Elements of the defences were found in five of the six trenches excavated; the outer ditch was present in trenches 1, 2a and 5; and the counterscarp bank lying to the south of the ditch, in trenches 1, 2, 2a, 3 and 5. An early rectilinear ditch in Trench 1 extension , partially sealed by the counterscarp bank was cut by two burials with a further unexcavated burialoutside it to the west.