Weymouth Relief Road archaeological investigations

The work was funded directly by Dorset County Council, and was also monitored by the council to ensure that the archaeological requirements of planning consent were met.

Oxford Archaeology (opens in a new window)  worked closely with contractor for the road, Skanska, to ensure that the archaeological investigations were undertaken to a high professional standard and fitted in with the construction schedule.

• Archaeology update - July 2011

  Since the completion of work on site, Oxford Archaeology has been carrying out a post-excavation assessment to understand what has been recovered during the fieldwork, and to decide what detailed analysis is needed to complete the project.

• Ridgeway Hill excavations

  Between October 2008 and December 2008, Oxford Archaeology carried out excavations on the Ridgeway to investigate, and fully record, any archaeology which will be affected by the Weymouth Relief Road.

• Ridgeway barrow survey

  Over 9,080 hectares along the Ridgeway have been covered during a survey of nearly 700 barrows by Wessex Archaeology.

• Southdown Ridge investigation

  Between April 2009 and June 2009 Oxford Archaeology carried out excavations on Southdown Ridge, a limestone ridge just south of Littlemoor.

• Ridgeway burial pit

  Archaeologists working on the Weymouth Relief Road discovered a burial pit of dismembered skeletons on Ridgeway Hill.

• What happened to the relief road skeletons?

  It sounds like the starting line of a joke: how many boxes can 100 skeletons fill? But the honest answer is a lot, and they're all in the safe care of Oxford Archaeology (OA).