EDO3736 - Wessex Court, Charles Street, Dorchester; Trench 6

Trench 6 comprised a second season of excavations at the Wessex Court development site, undertaken by Wessex Archaeology in 1990. Trenches 1-5 had been excavated in two stages the previous year. The trench was located in the central eastern part of the development area, between Trenches 3 and 4. The excavation was intended to clarify the sequence of development of the Roman Town suggested by earlier excavations at Greyhound yard (1) and Wollaston House(2). Four probably prehistoric ditches were found, much disturbed by Roman features, as well as small patches of pre-urban soils. The earliest Roman activity was represented by two ditches of 1st century AD date, one of which had been recut and contained two infant burials. A rectangular post-built structure was built over the ditches and probably is late 1st-early 2nd century AD in date. This building was probably associated with a number of boundary walls, including one which enclosed it. To the east were the remains of perhaps two early Roman stone-built structures, perhaps dating from the 2nd-3rd century AD. The earlier structure comprised part of a single room with mortared limestone walls and two phases of tessellated floor. This structure was replaced by another room, which had an opus signum floor and with a walled courtyard to the west. In the later Roman period further adaptation and replacement of existing structures took place. One major new building, constructed in the early 4th century AD, occupied the greater part of the trench, on the same E-W alignment to earlier structures. The building comprised at least 4 rooms with an annex added at the west end. There was also evidence for three possible post-built structures, they were not securely dated but may be post-Roman in origin. Medieval and post-medieval robber trenches and pits were also recorded.