Monument record MDO18110 - Greyhound Yard, Roman activity behind north frontage of insula

The 1984 Wessex Archaeology excavations on the Greyhound Yard, Dorchester site revealed a series of pits and wells and a scattering of postholes representing activity to the rear of the central part of the northern frontage of the Greyhound Yard insula.

Found during the excavations carried out by Wessex Archaeology in 1984 prior to the redevelopment of the area of the former Greyhound Yard. (1) The results of the excavation were published together with the results of the adjacent Old Methodist Chapel excavations. (2) The numbers in square brackets below are context and feature numbers used in the published report (2).

Immediately north of Enclosure 5537 in the central area of the Greyhound Yard insula are a number of pits and postholes. These features probably relate to a property on the northern frontage of the Greyhound Yard insula, which lay beyond the excavated area. One cluster of pits [3141 & 3250] lay across the boundary with Enclosure 5537 with a number of pits encroaching into the area of the enclosure.

The earliest features are a deep cess pit [3404] and a well [1495]. The finds from these features suggest they were probably in use in the 1st century AD. The large pit [3440] adjacent to pit [3404] appears to have been deliberately filled in during the early 2nd century AD. The pit cluster [3141 & 3250] which straddles the boundary of Enclosure 5537 could equally belong to activity within that enclosure. This pit cluster was largely disturbed by later activity. These pits appear to represent a period of intermittent quarrying beginning c. AD100 and continuing into the mid-2nd century AD.

In addition, there is a scatter of eleven postholes [4043, 4046, 3837, 3835, 3839, 3841, 3689, 3934, 3657, 3898, 3669], mainly concentrated between pit [3404] and well [1495]. No significant patterning can be seen in these postholes.

Pit 3404 was a squarish vertical sided pit about 4.4m deep. Its primary fill comprised two layers of soft dark brown clay [3611, 3604] separated by a band of chalk rubble [3605], which together were about 0.8 m thick. The lowest fill [3611] contained a complete samian bowl dated to AD55-65. Above these lowest deposits were more loamy fills [3483, 3484] sealed by a clay layer [3481]. These layers contained pottery up to early 2nd century AD date. Above this was a more general backfilling of loam with a concentration of flint rubble in the top. The pottery evidence suggests that it was perhaps in use in the 1st century with the infilling of the upper part of the pit (after subsidence due to compaction of the primary fills?) in the later 2nd century.

Well 1495 had a circular shaft and was excavated to a depth of about 11m and augering showed that it was at least another 2m deep. The lowest excavated fills were clean fine silty clays about 3m thick. Above this was a layer [4074] containing limestone slabs and chalk rubble blocks. Above were two bands of chalk rubble [4032, 4030] separated by a greenish clay layer [4031] 0.2m thick. The upper part of the well was filled with layers of clayey loam which contained some large quantities of refuse, including remains from cattle butchery, and pottery dating mainly to the earlier 2nd century, suggesting the well was in use in the 1st century. The uppermost two metres was filled with fine dark soils [3622, 3614, 3613, 1496], which probably represent a gradual and prolonged accumulation.

Pit 3440 was a large pit only partly within the excavated area. It was square or rectangular, about 4m across with vertical sides and flat bottom c. 2m deep. Around the edge of the base was a slight depression in the chalk, perhaps indicating a wooden lining. It was filled with compact chalk rubble [3610, 3608] separated by a layer of compact clay loam [3609]. A hollow in the upper part had been filled with dark soils. The layers suggested a rapid and deliberate infilling and contained pottery dating to the earlier 2nd century AD. Pit 3440 cut and largely destroyed an earlier small pit [3456].

Pits [3141] and [3280] are the western and eastern parts of a complex of intercut rounded pits about 1.2m deep, cutting across the line of the northern boundary of Enclosure 5537 in the central part of the Greyhound Yard insula. In places, these pits had been cut away by later activity. The primary fills of these pits were generally clean chalk rubble and clayey loam with upper fills of brown loam layers covering the whole area of the pits. These layers contained varying amounts of pottery and bone. This pit complex cut into the remains of an earlier small pit [3671] within Enclosure 5537 . This pit complex straddles the boundary of Enclosure 5537 and could equally belong to activity associated with this enclosure as with the property to the north.

Trust for Wessex Archaeology, 1983, Dorchester, Durnovaria: Excavations in the town centre at Greyhound Yard, and the Old Methodist Chapel (1982-1984): Interim and introductory notes to the current excavations (Unpublished document). SDO9435.

Wessex Archaeology, 1984, Greyhound Yard, Dorchester excavation archive (Excavation archive). SDO9456.

<1> Woodward, P J , Davies, S M , and Graham, A H, 1984, Excavations at the Greyhound Yard Car Park, Dorchester, 1984, 99-106 (Article in serial). SDO9437.

<2> Woodward, P J , Davies, S M , and Graham, A H, 1993, Excavations at the Old Methodist Chapel and Greyhound Yard, Dorchester, 1981-1984, 38-39, 52 (Monograph). SDO9411.

Record last edited

Aug 22 2024 7:26PM