EDO4560 - Egg-packing Station, Church Street, Dorchester; excavation 1982-83

Excavations were carried out in advance of redevelopment on the site of the former egg packing station, Church Street, from November 1982 until January 1983. Upon demolition of existing buildings it became clear that the northern three metres of the site contained a cellar for the egg packing station. The rest of the available area was excavated down to the natural surface, approximately 1.5m below ground level. Several features were cut into it, three of which were wells and the remainder unidentified. The majority of the Roman levels had been removed by later activity. Five medieval tenement plots were identified, two of which were amalgamated in the 18th century and all five amalgamated to form the plot occupied by the egg packing station. Only two of the medieval plots contained any trace of buildings, the majority of which lay under Church Road. Large rubbish pits were excavated within the back plots. In a later phase the plots could be identified with known buildings; the two amalgamated northern plots were a malthouse for the Phoenix brewery and the southern plot was a public house (Bell Inn?).