SDO9742 - 'Recent Discoveries in Dorchester; Discoveries in an Old Road Level, High East Street' Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society

short note on observations made concerning a section of probably 18th century road metalling revealed through the excavation of a gas main trench towards the foot of High East Street by the south kerb of the street at a depth of 30 inches below the modern road. The metalling was about 1 foot thick and very hard, consisting of flints in greyish cement with ferrous streaks. It lay below a gravelly make-up for the modern road. The old road metalling contained a Roman bronze hair pin, 18th century Delft ware pottery and a large quantity of hand-made brass pins (80 of which were collected in a few minutes) dating from the early part of the 18th century. This section of metalling may be associated with the opening of Grey's Bridge in 1748.