Monument record MDO18391 - Poundbury Late Neolithic Settlement

A series of shallow storage pits were discovered during excavations at Poundbury and probably represent the approximate area of a Neolithic settlement in the coombe bottom at the base of the eastern slopes of the later Poundbury Camp. Any evidence for timber structures is assumed to have been destroyed through the process of chalk solution. The absence of Neolithic finds from the sections cut through the Iron Age hillfort indicates that the hilltop was probably not occupied in this phase.

Found during the excavations directed by Christopher Sparey Green, for the Dorchester Excavation Committee, between 1966 and 1979 during development of the Grove Trading Estate on the eastern slopes of Poundbury Camp, Dorchester and also during observations at South Western Farmers in 1964 (1). The numbers in square brackets below refer to the context and feature numbers used in the published report (1).

The area of the late Neolithic settlement is defined by a group of 7 small pits containing domestic debris. In plan they varied from sub-rectangular to oval with maximum dimensions of between 0.76-1.52m diameter and 0.38-0.58m deep. Their fills comprised brown loam and flint rubble, although four of them contained a lower fill of darker soil and charcoal. Occupation debris was concentrated in these lower deposits, with pit [SWF2] containing grooved ware and worked flint and pit [C226] yielding carbonised hazelnuts and cereal grains. Pit [SWF1] contained another sherd of grooved ware and the butt of a granite axe whilst the central and upper fills of pit [E44] contained frequent burnt and worked flint but no pottery. The pits were probably dug for storage, later filled with domestic rubbish.

No contemporary Neolithic structures can be recognised but some of the isolated and undated post-holes might derive from fences or slight structures. Other isolated post-holes to the north and beneath the Bronze Age settlement may also relate to the Neolithic settlement, as do flint quarry pits on the west side of the proposed settlement area (2).

Sparey Green, C, 1966-1979, Poundbury, Grove Trading Estate, Dorchester (Excavation archive). SDO10096.

<1> Sparey Green, C, 1987, Excavations at Poundbury, Dorchester, Dorset 1966-1982. Volume 1: The Settlements, 21-22 (Monograph). SDO9630.

Record last edited

Jul 26 2010 6:57AM