Monument record MDO18415 - Poundbury Late Roman Funerary enclosure R5

Ditched Funerary Enclosure R5 was found in the northwestern corner of Late Roman enclosure 4, on Site A of the 1966-1979 excavations at Poundbury. It lay immediately to the east of a similar ditched funerary enclosure R6 and adjacent to ditched funerary enclosure R4 to the east, It comprised a ditch enclosing a square area containing a single grave, which was not excavated. The northern ditch terminated against the ditch of R4 in the east, suggesting that R5 is later than R4.

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).

Ditched Funerary Enclosure R5 was found in the northwestern corner of Late Roman enclosure 4, on Site A. It lay immediately to the east of a similar ditched funerary enclosure R6 and adjacent to ditched funerary enclosure R4 to the east. It comprised a ditch defining a square area about 4.4m across, though only the northern, western and part of the southern side was within the excavated area. The northern ditch terminated against the ditch of R4 in the east, suggesting that R5 is later than R4. Unlike, funerary enclosure R4, no postholes were noted in the ditch. The outline of grave [42] was noted within the enclosure but not excavated (1).

<1> Farwell, D E and Molleson, T I, 1993, Excavations at Poundbury, Dorchester, Dorset 1966-1980. Volume II: The Cemeteries, 51 (Monograph). SDO9538.

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

Record last edited

Aug 3 2010 5:26PM