Monument record MDO18396 - Poundbury Late Roman Enclosure 3

A Late Roman enclosure, enclosure 3, was discovered on sites A, B and E during the 1966-1979 excavations at Poundbury, Dorchester. It formed part of an enclosure system including three other enclosures and a drove way. It lay to the west of enclosures 1 and 2, with the drove road running to the north of it. Enclosure 3 was defined by ditches on all sides, though only very small areas of the southern and western sides were exposed and the precise limits in the northwest corner are unclear. It was entirely free of internal features prior to its use as part of the late-Roman cemetery. 4th century AD finds were found in the ditch at the SE corner of enclosure 3. Molluscan evidence suggests that it was in an open grassland environment. It was probably used as a stock enclosure.

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 (1). The numbers in square brackets below refer to the context and feature numbers used in the published report and archive (1)(2).

The elements of a late Roman enclosure, enclosure 3, were excavated on Sites A, B and E. It was one of four late Roman enclosures (1-4) found on the site and lay to the west of enclosures 1 and 2 and north of enclosure 4. This enclosure was defined by ditches on all four sides, though only very small lengths of the ditches on the southern and western sides were exposed. The northern side of the enclosure was only defined by a ditch at its eastern end, the northwest corner can only be deduced from the line of the escarpment on the northern side. The internal area of the enclosure was probably about 0.64ha. There was a variation in the size and profile of the ditches of the enclosure and some may have been recut. The western ditch cut the outer lip of the outer Poundbury hillfort ditch. 4th century AD finds were found in the ditch at the SE corner of the enclosure.

Molluscan evidence recovered from the ditches suggested that the enclosure was constructed in an open ground environment.

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

<2> Sparey Green, C, 1966-1979, Poundbury, Grove Trading Estate, Dorchester (Excavation archive). SDO10096.

Record last edited

Jul 26 2010 6:58AM