Find Spot record MDO1205 - Post medieval finds, Frome Vauchurch

<1> Hunt, A, 1986, Frome Vauchurch, Dorset. Archaeological Observation of Development Site at SY 5994 9723 (Unpublished document). SDO15397.

<2> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1987, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1986, 189 (Serial). SDO86.

‘DIHE Archaeology Unit kept a watching brief on a housing development at Frome Vauchurch in 1985-1986. The village lies on a gravel terrace of the R. Frome. It seems to have been a two-row linear-plan village, of at least three morphological units, laid out on either side of the lane now known as Frome Lane. The village is now markedly shrunken, with settlement earthworks visible at around SY 59889728 and 59939718. The date-range of this shrinkage is not clear; the Tithe Map shows a house on the former site in 1838, but no occupation in the latter.

The site (.364 ha) lies immediately to the north of the medieval parish church, on the east side of the street. The plot itself is closely aligned with the churchyard. In size and shape it looks very much like a toft, though its size and shape have changed somewhat since the Tithe Map was surveyed; it is now smaller, with a more regular plan. It was entirely flat and archaeologically featureless by 1985, but evidence of medieval and/or post-medieval occupation might reasonably be expected. There was no record of previous archaeological investigation here.

When the site was top-stripped only three post-medieval sherds were found, but no earlier material. Upcast from the digging of service trenches yielded no more material. A section was cut through the west boundary bank of the site. A rubble wall had been added to the primary bank and was later demolished.

A single indeterminate post-medieval sherd was recovered from the bank while the section was being cleaned. No other dating evidence was found. The relationship of this bank to the churchyard boundary was not easy to see, due to heavy vegetation cover. Beyond stating the obvious, that this is a substantial enclosure boundary, perhaps of post-medieval date, no interpretation can be advanced.

The almost total absence of artefacts seemed difficult to explain on a site which looked very likely, on topographical grounds, to produce evidence of medieval or later settlement. It may be that the site was never occupied, although its size and shape resembles a house plot and is not readily explicable as a field or even a paddock. It might have been comprehensively disturbed beyond archaeological recovery, perhaps by garden cultivation. The depth of topsoil supports the garden interpretation at least in the post-medieval period.

The site archive has been deposited in the county planning office.

I am grateful to Andrew Lawson of the Trust for Wessex Archaeology for bringing this site to our attention; and to the developer, Mr J. Fenwick, and the builder, Mr Clifford, for permission to investigate.’

Record last edited

Jul 25 2022 11:07AM