EDO3881 - Channons Garage, High East Street, Dorchester; evaluation Trench 6

Exeter Archaeology undertook an archaeological evaluation excavation during January 2001 at Channon’s Garage, High East Street, Dorchester, in advance of redevelopment for mixed residential and retail use. Seven trenches were excavated by machine. Trench 6 measured 9.5m x 1.2m in plan and was aligned approximately NNW-SSE, near the southern boundary of the development area. It was excavated to a general depth of 1.4m with a machine-excavated sondage extending to 2m depth at the southern end. Natural layers were not reached. Post-medieval deposits survived to a depth of at least 1.1m below ground level. Features relating to a domestic structure originally facing Durngate Street and demolished in the 1950s still exist. A possible Roman demolition deposit was exposed directly below the post-medieval layers. Below this demolition deposit (1.6m below present ground level), a layer of tightly packed stone was seen but, due to its depth, not investigated in detail. Roman tile was recovered from amongst the stone, and the layer is believed to date from this period.This stone layer may represent part of the make-up for a Roman street.