Monument record MDO18419 - Poundbury Late Roman Mausoleum R9

Mausoleum R8 lay at the southern end of the eastern half of the main Late Roman cemetery on site E of the 1966-1979 excavations at Poundbury. The base of the northern, southern and western walls was uncovered. The walls were of mortared flint and limestone set on a mortar bed set directly on top of the natural chalk. A layer of trampled chalk rubble within the structure may have functioned as a floor. Demolition debris including fragments of wall plaster, lenses of mortar and lumps of cob were found within the building. A coin dating to AD335-336 was found at the base of the demolition deposits Two E-W oriented graves were discovered inside the building containing wooden coffins within inner lead linings packed with gypsum. One of the lead linings bore a possible inscription. Minor structures on the south side of the mausoleum suggest alterations and extensions to this structure, possibly during the 5th century in the early post-Roman 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 (1). The numbers in square brackets below refer to the context and feature numbers used in the published reports and archive (1)(2)(3).

Mausoleum R9 lay at the southern end of the eastern half of the main Late Roman cemetery, adjacent to Mausoleum R10, on site E. The base of the walls on all except the eastern side of this rectangular structure were found. The walls were built of flint and limestone blocks bedded upon a layer of mortar set directly on to the natural chalk. The western wall had three courses surviving, the upper two of which were mainly flint, the lower limestone. Within the structure was a layer of trampled chalk rubble, which may have served as a floor. Over this was a possible occupation deposit which was sealed by layers of demolition debris including fragments of wall plaster, lenses of mortar and lumps of cob. A coin dating to AD335-336 was found at the base of the demolition deposits.

Two E-W oriented graves [529] & [530] were found inside the building, both containing wooden coffins within inner lead linings packed with gypsum. One of the lead linings, from grave [530] bore a possible inscription, which it has not been possible to decipher satisfactorily, and may be a maker’s mark rather than a Christian inscription. Grave [529] was that of a 40-year-old female and grave [530] of a 30-year-old male.

Minor structures on the south side of the mausoleum suggest alterations and extensions to this structure, possibly during the 5th century in the early post-Roman phase. On the south side of R9, a steep sided flat-bottomed ditch appeared to run from the mausoleum to the postulated entrance to the major enclosure post-Roman enclosure. At a later stage, paving slabs appear to have been laid across the top of the ditch to give access to a postulated western entrance to the mausoleum. (2).

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

<3> Sparey Green, C, 1966-1979, Poundbury, Grove Trading Estate, Dorchester (Excavation archive). SDO10096.

Record last edited

Aug 3 2010 5:27PM