SDO9554 - Poundbury Community Woodland, Dorchester, Dorset: Archaeological Evaluation

In October 1998 Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by the Duchy of Cornwall to undertake an archaeological field evaluation on land north of Maiden Castle Road, Dorchester, Dorset, in advance of the proposed planting of community woodland. Four machine-dug trenches totalling 245 square metres investigated the area within the pasture field. The trenches were sited to cross possible archaeological features recorded as soil marks on aerial photographs. Nine archaeological features were identified and excavated. These comprised six shallow ditches which probably represent the remains of field boundaries, two modern plough furrows and one tree throw. The results of previous archaeological work undertaken along the route of the A35 bypass immediately to the west of the site suggest that at least two of the ditches are early Roman in date. The remaining ditches were undated.