EDO4801 - Middle Farm, Bridport Road, Poundbury, Dorchester; evaluation (Trench L)

Wessex Archaeology conducted an archaeological evaluation during February 1990, on a field east of Middle Farm, Dorchester, in advance of housing development. Fifteen machine trenches, covering some 2280 square metres, (1.9% of the development area) were excavated. Four trenches contained no visible features (Trenches E, J, K, M); two trenches only natural tree holes (Trenches A & P). The remaining 11 trenches contained archaeological features. These included nine ditch segments, one small pit, three ?marl pits, one articulated cow burial and three modern post-holes. Trench L measured 75m x 2.25m and was aligned N-S in the SE part of the site. In the southern part of this trench were two ditches aligned NNW-SSE and WSW-ENE. Both ditches were about 0.85m wide and 0.3m deep with a 'U' profile and filled with yellowish-brown silty clay. 15 sherds of Middle Bronze Age pottery were recovered, including two rim sherds, plus 22 pieces of worked flint including residual early Bronze Age types. Further to the north was the remnant of a small round-bottomed pit. The fill contained flecks of ash but no dating evidence.