EDO4777 - Roman and Medieval Defences, Dorchester; field observation 1954

A site visit was conducted by J. Rigg of the Ordnance Survey Archaeological Division on the 1 September 1954 at the site of The Roman and Medieval town walls, Dorchester . His site notes are recorded in the OS record card as follows. The course of the town wall was supplied on the 25" plan as follows: In the east and north, from `A'-`B' by prolonging the course of the wall, then taking the general line of the crest where the land falls steeply away to the north. No evidence was found to support this line except a rough line on the OS 6" displayed in Dorset County Museum. This line places the Mediaeval priory outside, and the Mediaeval North Gate inside, the wall. Conjectural course only. From `B' to the West Gate on the crest of a pronounced rampart which, in the NW corner, has an outer drop of 6.0m. The general straight was taken to join it to the West Gate, supporting evidence is the 1938 cutting and section. Course of wall. From the West Gate to `C', the points were joined. No supporting evidence but the logical course of the wall. At `C' the rubble core of a wall remains. It is protected and a plaque reads: `Remains of Roman Wall'. From `C' to the SW corner and to the South Gate. A straight was taken along a generally broad rampart and made to join to the South Gate. Probable course of Roman wall. From the South Gate to the SE corner, a straight was taken to include the South Gate, point `D', which is on a slight rampart which falls to the south. A general curve was made around the corner on Gallows Hill to the East. Probable course of wall. From `E' to `A', the course was supplied by plotting the water conduit from a plan in the Borough Engineer's Office. The line falls along a slight rampart. Course of wall. No trace of the masonry wall was found except at `C'. The outer slopes shown in the west and south are shown by authority 12. They are pronounced and are evidently the mutilated remains of an outer ditch. From the crest the land falls away on both sides in the west.