EDO3886 - St Genevieve's Convent, South Walks, Dorchester; desk-based assessment 1995

A desk based assessment of the area of St Genevieve's Convent and the area immediately surrounding it was carried out by Wessex Archaeology during June 1995. The site lies outside the southern boundary wall of the Roman town of Durnovaria and covers slightly under 3 ha and is bounded to the north by South Walks, on the east by Culliford Road North, to the south by York Road and by the telephone exchange to the west. Two Scheduled Monuments impinge on the site (Dorset 648 and Dorset 849). The previously recorded archaeology comprises the two outer ditches and the counterscarp bank of the Roman defences. There is no evidence for occupation of the site during the post-Roman period, and during the medieval period the site appears to have been used as strip fields. The 1779 map of Fordington indicates strip fields covering the area and no buildings, though it is possible that the Dairyhouse shown on the 1841 Tithe Map may have been a later 18th century build. Little further development took place until the 19th century when South Court and its associated 19th century outbuildings were constructed. The desk-based assessment concluded that in addition to the anticipated Scheduled Monument, on the basis of other investigations in Dorchester, that there was a demonstrated potential for archaeological remains, particularly of Roman and earlier date. In particular, the potential for Roman burials within or adjacent to the Roman defences was considered high.