Monument record MDO18183 - Maiden Castle First School (Prince of Wales First School): Late Iron Age Round house 513

The remains of a Late Iron Age roundhouse defined by a terrace cut into the hillslope with a shallow gully defining at least part of the circuit and a post-built entrance to the east, was exposed in the central eastern side of enclosure 1 during excavations at Maiden Castle First School in 1993 undertaken by AC archaeology. This house may represent the latest phase of house within the enclosure.

The 1992 archaeological evaluation and the 1993 excavations undertaken by AC archaeology on the Maiden Castle First School site (now the Prince of Wales First School), revealed the remains of a probable roundhouse located centrally on the western side of the Late Iron Age enclosure 1on the site. This was numbered 513 during the excavations and 105 during the earlier evaluations.

The roundhouse comprised an area of infilling, broadly comparable to that of roundhouse 512, but less clearly defined. A curving gully defined at least part of its NE side. A concentration of postholes to the east suggests an entrance opening on to the courtyard. Concentrations of flint within the infill may mark the positions of further internal postholes. This roundhouse was about 8m in diameter. It was not excavated.

This roundhouse was probably not a primary feature within the enclosure as it blocks the original western entrance to the enclosure. It lies very close to roundhouse 512 and may be a replacement for it and may represent a final phase of settlement within the enclosure.

Graham, A and Richards, J, 1992, Archaeological Evaluation of the Maiden Castle Road First School Site (Unpublished document). SDO9664.

Graham, A and Richards, J, 1992, Evaluation and Maiden Castle School, Dorchester, 233-234 (Article in serial). SDO9665.

AC Archaeology, 1992, Maiden Castle Road First School (Excavation archive). SDO9666.

Bellamy, P S , Graham, A , and Richards, J, 1993, Dorchester First School, Interim Report on Archaeological Excavations on the Site of the Maiden Castle Road First School, Dorchester, Dorset., 152 (Article in serial). SDO9480.

Graham A H, 1993, Summary Report on Archaeological Excavations on the site of the Maiden Castle Road First School, Dorchester, Dorset (Unpublished document). SDO9479.

Record last edited

Jul 10 2006 10:43AM