SDO13977 - New Office, South Western Scaffolding Ltd, Unit 9A Grove Trading Estate, Dorchester, Dorset, Archaeological Observations and Recording

‘An archaeological watching brief was carried out by Terrain Archaeology in March 2010, during the construction of a new office at Unit 9A, Grove Trading Estate, Dorchester (centred on OS NGR SY68439107). Three ditches of probable Roman date were recorded. Along the western edge of the site were two parallel V-shaped ditches that may have formed part of the western boundary to a large Roman enclosure (Enclosure 4) previously recorded elsewhere in the vicinity. Another similar ditch, aligned NE-SW, containing 1st century BC/AD pottery could not be fitted into this boundary ditch pattern. A single pit of probable Iron Age date was partly exposed. In the southwest corner of the site a large sub-rectangular feature post-dating the Roman enclosure ditches was partially exposed and this has been tentatively identified as a sunken-featured structure of late Roman or post-Roman date.’