Monument record MDO18347 - Wollaston Field, Dorchester; Roman building south of road

The remains of a Roman building fronting on to the south side of the NE-SW road was exposed in Wollaston Field during excavations by R A H Farrar in 1947-1948 and by the Central Excavation Unit in 1978. The building had limestone footings and comprised at least two phases of construction. Not enough of this building was exposed to be able to determine its plan or function. No clear dating evidence was recovered.

The remains of a Roman building was found on the south side of the Roman road exposed in Wollaston Field during excavations by R A H Farrar in 1947-1948 (1) and by the Central Excavation Unit in 1978 (2). Very little of the building, which lay directly on the street frontage was exposed during the excavations and its form and function are not known. The building survived as a limestone block foundation which cut into the edge of the drainage ditch on the south side of the road. This was subsequently replaced by a smaller foundation of pitched limestone, which turned through a right angle to the south, marking the western end of the later phase of the building. No definite evidence of internal structure could be associated with either phase of the building, though a compact clay layer found within it may be a floor.

Farrar, R A H, 1947-1952, Wollaston Field (Excavation archive). SDO9990.

Central Excavation Unit, 1977-79, Wollaston Field (Excavation archive). SDO9992.

<1> Farrar, R A H, 1948, Dorchester, Wollaston House. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society (Article in serial). SDO9760.

<2> Wilson, P R, 2002, Roman Bath house Excavations at Wollaston House, Dorchester, Dorset (Unpublished document). SDO9412.

Record last edited

Oct 16 2024 10:57AM