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HER Number:MDV71197
Name:Ditch beneath Woodbury Lane, Axminster

Summary

Roman pottery was recovered from a ditch recorded beneath the modern Woodbury Lane. It may relate to the military fort or later civillian settlement.

Location

Grid Reference:SY 298 974
Map Sheet:SY29NE
Admin AreaDevon
Civil ParishAxminster
DistrictEast Devon
Ecclesiastical ParishAXMINSTER

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

  • DITCH (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Full description

Dyer, M. J. + Whiteaway, T. E., 2003, Archaeological Recording During Gas Main Replacement Works, Woodbury Lane, Axminster, Devon, 8, 9, 11, Figs 2, 5 (Report - Watching Brief). SDV320799.

A Roman ditch (520), U-shaped, 1.7 metres wide by 0.7 metres deep, was recorded beneath the modern Woodbury Lane This contained 17 sherds of Roman pottery, including South-east Dorset black burnished ware. Unfortunately the finds were not sufficiently diagnostic to determine whether the feature related to the first century military fort or the late second to early fourth century civil settlement.
It pre-dates the modern Woodbury Lane, although the original alignment of this road (i.e. the Roman east-west Dorchester-Exeter road) is known to lie just to the south.
No evidence was found for the Exeter to Dorchester Roman road in the two fields to the west of Wyke lane.

Exeter Archaeology, 2008, Archaeological Assessment of Land off Duke's Way, Axminster, Devon, 8 (Report - Assessment). SDV342566.

Site 22. 22. During a watching brief on a gas main replacement in 2002-3, a north-south aligned ‘U’ shaped ditch was exposed in the pipe trench on the north side of Woodbury Lane. The feature was 1.7m wide and 0.7m deep. Seventeen sherds of Roman pottery were recovered from the fills. The material, however, was not sufficiently diagnostic to determine whether the ditch related to the military fort or the later civil settlement.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV320799Report - Watching Brief: Dyer, M. J. + Whiteaway, T. E.. 2003. Archaeological Recording During Gas Main Replacement Works, Woodbury Lane, Axminster, Devon. Exeter Archaeology Report. 03.38. A4 Stapled + Digital. 8, 9, 11, Figs 2, 5. [Mapped feature: #46457 ]
SDV342566Report - Assessment: Exeter Archaeology. 2008. Archaeological Assessment of Land off Duke's Way, Axminster, Devon. Exeter Archaeology Report. 08.24. A4 Stapled + Digital. 8.

Associated Monuments

MDV14185Related to: Roman Fort at Woodbury Farm, Axminster (Monument)
MDV42536Related to: Roman Settlement at Woodbury Farm, Axminster (Monument)

Associated Finds

  • FDV164 - POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FDV165 - TILE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Associated Events

  • EDV4523 - Archaeological Assessment of Land off Duke's Way, Axminster, Devon
  • EDV891 - Archaeological Recording During Gas Main Replacement Works, Woodbury Lane, Axminster

Date Last Edited:Feb 20 2026 12:34PM