Monument record MDO18399 - Poundbury Late Roman Outlying Burials

A number of Late Roman burials were found scattered beyond the limits of the main Late Roman cemeteries found during excavations at Poundbury. These 39 burials were found in the area of enclosure 4 to the southwest of the main cemetery, to the west of the cemetery and also to the east and northeast of the cemetery. Some of these burials may have been part of more formal cemeteries, but not enough of these areas have been excavated to be certain of this. Three burials within rectangular ditched mortuary enclosures were found in the NW corner of Late Roman enclosure 4.

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, the excavation of the site of Integrated Photomatrix Ltd in 1980, and the 1986 observations of the Poundbury Pipe-line (1)(2). The numbers in square brackets below refer to the context and feature numbers used in the published reports and archives (1-4).

Thirty-nine Late Roman burials were found scattered beyond the areas of the major late Roman cemeteries at Poundbury. Some of these burials may belong to more formal cemeteries, but an insufficiently large area was exposed to be certain.

To the west of the main excavation areas, four graves were uncovered during the excavations at Integrated Photomatrix Ltd IPL). All were E-W aligned and assumed to contain extended inhumations. Only limited observations were possible, but at least two contained extended and coffined inhumations although grave [1425] had the head detached and placed between the shins. The possible remains of a mausoleum (R11) were found on the IPL site.

Fourteen graves were recorded from within the area of enclosure 4, including three within rectangular ditched funerary enclosures (R4-R6). Too little of enclosure 4 was excavated to be certain of the density of burial in this area. Few of the graves could be completely excavated but the sum of the evidence suggests that the common rite was W-E aligned extended supine inhumations. Grave [1291] however, excavated in the 1940s was contained within a Ham stone coffin and graves [6], [41] [42] were within ditched funerary enclosures.

To the north and south of site C lay five isolated burials. Graves [567-8] contained the skeletons of an adult male and female both extended in supine positions in wooden coffins with their heads to the west. The graves cut ditch [C285] a recut of the enclosure boundary [C191] suggesting a 4th century date for the burials. Grave [1105] was a shallow stone-lined burial of a child . Graves [1413] and [1417] were both child burials in rounded cuts.

On site G, in the NE corner of the site, a group of five graves shared a common alignment with late Roman ditch [G1073]. Two of them contained hobnails at the feet, one with two 4th century coins. Two were unexcavated but the remainder had evidence for wooden coffins with the heads to the SW. A further five graves were discovered during pipeline observations in 1986: two of the bodies were oriented with their head to the N and NE, one was crouched, one was a prone burial with head to the SE and the other was empty (3).

To the SE of site D building operations uncovered roman structure R15 and seven late Roman graves. Two were unexcavated and one was disturbed. The remainders were standard extended inhumations in wooden coffins with heads to the west. Grave [1272] also contained a lead lining. This group is clearly late Roman (cutting building R15) but its exact relationship to the main cemetery is unclear (1).

<1> Farwell, D E and Molleson, T I, 1993, Excavations at Poundbury, Dorchester, Dorset 1966-1980. Volume II: The Cemeteries (Monograph). SDO9538.

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

<3> Davies, S M and Grieve, D, 1986, 'The Poundbury pipe-line: Archaeological Observations and Excavations', Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society (Article in serial). SDO9537.

<4> Grieve, D, and Davies, S M, 1986, The Poundbury Pipeline. Archaeological Observations and Excavations, 1986 (Excavation archive). SDO10064.

Record last edited

Sep 19 2013 4:43PM