SDO14696 - Brewery Square, Dorchester, Dorset. Interim Report on Strip, Map and Record Excavation within the Phase 2B Footprint.

‘Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by the Peter Gunning Partnership, acting on behalf of Brewery Square Limited, to undertake a strip, map and record excavation within the Phase 2B footprint of a wider design and build redevelopment at the former Eldridge Pope Brewery site in Dorchester, Dorset centred on National Grid Reference 369300 090150. The archaeological monitoring was undertaken as part of an ongoing programme of archaeological investigation secured by a planning condition imposed on the redevelopment by the Local Planning Authority’s Archaeological Advisor. The development has progressed in several phases, and the focus of this document is on groundwork associated with the Phase 2B development. Specifically the groundwork was associated with the construction of The Cooperage, The Keg Store, Copper Crescent, The Station, The Hop House, The Barley Building and any associated services. Archaeological observation was maintained during ground reduction within the Phase 2B area, the drilling of piling trenches in advance of the construction of new buildings and the excavation of service trenches. A single partially complete brick structure was recorded during the excavation work associated with the former brewery buildings recorded on the site. The structure was located in the south of the Phase 2B area within the footprint of the proposed Cooper Crescent building. In addition a buried topsoil was recorded across the Phase 2B area, and produced a small quantity of artefacts, including pottery sherds, ceramic building material, struck flint, clay pipe, glass and animal bone. The date range extended from the Romano-British period to the 20th century, and sealed undisturbed natural geology. The archaeological investigation was undertaken intermittently from 6th May to 3rd September 2014.’