Monument record MDO4640 - Pikes Car Showrooms, High Street, Shaftesbury: two pits, eighteenth/nineteenth century

Two pits were recorded during redevelopment of the site in 1979. Both contained bones, glass and pottery of eighteenth/nineteenth century date, but one had fragments of medieval pottery at the bottom. The record for this monument has been enhanced with support from Wessex Water.

"L 24 Pikes Car Showrooms. High St. Shaftesbury. Gd ref ST 8624722928. 1979.
During redevelopment of this site to shops and offices observations were made by the secretary of our Group, within the cellar looking approximately NNW. Two pits were noted.
The 'natural' stratification was 1.70 metres below pavement level. The position of the elevation was 3.90 metres from the internal face of the rear wall and 8.40 metres from the shop front.
The centre of pit one was 1.55 metres from the S/W wall. Pit two was 3.15 metres from the same wall. The two pits had been cut into the natural sandstone.
Pit one measured 1.7 metres across. The base was just visible at 2.80 metres below pavement level and contained bones and pot sherds (medieval). The base of pit two was 2.70 metres below pavement level. The contents of both pits, (apart from finds at the base of pit one) and the top 1.70 metres of disturbed soil including that which extended from the top of one pit to the other, appeared contempary containing bones, glass, pot sherds circa 18th/19th Century.
The depth of the disturbed soil to the North East of pit two was only 90cm.
Photographic record." (1)

<1> Shaftesbury and District Archaeological Group, 1977-80, Shaftesbury and District Archaeological Group; Interim Report 1977-80 (Serial). SDO11483.

Record last edited

Jan 13 2016 2:43PM