EDO6517 - Borough Gardens, Dorchester; excavation 2017 to 2018

An excavation was carried out on behalf of Dorchester Town Council following an archaeological evaluation, prior to redevelopment of the former bowling green. This was situated at the south end of the Borough Gardens. An area in the south east of the site measuring 15m by 3m was excavated by hand to the natural chalk. Three trenches were dug, 1 at the south end of the site running apx east-west, 2 at the north end of the site running apx east-west and 3 running north-south at right angles to Trench 1. An undated ditch running NW to SE was revealed at the south end of Trench 3 sealed beneath an ancient soil layer. Flint pieces from the uppermost fill suggested a Middle to Late Bronze Age date. Modern features such as service trenches and tree planting pits were found together with an unidentified broad, curving, shallow, flat-bottomed cut in Trench 3 containing some 19th century finds. The most significant finds included a halfpenny dated 1886, 1 piece of cut lead sheet, 15 iron objects probably 19th century, 141 sherds of pottery. 11 of the latter were Romano-British and the rest post-medieval/modern. Building material and worked flint were also recovered as well as glass, bone and shell.