Monument record MDO18426 - Poundbury Middle Iron Age Enclosed Settlement

The Middle Iron Age enclosed settlement was located at the northern end of the Poundbury excavations on Site E. The settlement comprised a pair of round houses (IA6 and IA7) and two pits set within the southwest corner of a sub-rectangular ditched enclosure. The enclosure appears to have been initially constructed as an agricultural enclosure and the settlement established towards the end of the life of this enclosure, during its final phase. The pits contained Middle Iron Age material dating to the 3rd-4th centuries BC. This settlement was the first phase of a long sequence of occupation which continued until the 2nd century AD. The later phases of the settlement were unenclosed.

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 (1) (2).

The Middle Iron Age enclosed settlement was located at the northern end of the site on Site E. The settlement comprised a pair of round houses (IA6 and IA7) set within the southwest corner of a sub-rectangular ditched enclosure. The enclosure appears to have been initially constructed as an agricultural enclosure and the settlement established towards the end of the life of this enclosure, during its final phase. The enclosure was defined on the west, south and east sides by a broad ditch (up to 3m wide and c.1m deep) with rounded profile, enclosing an area of 0.16 ha. The scarp above the River Frome defined the north side. Occupation debris was only found associated with final phase ditch silts.

Two round houses (IA6, IA7) formed by ring gullies set within slight terraces were found in the southwest corner of the enclosure. IA6 and IA7 were located within the SW corner of the enclosure. Two pits containing Middle Iron Age material dated to the 3rd-4th centuries BC were found in the same area as the houses. One may have been within round house IA7 and the other pre-dated house IA6. These houses were the first phase of a long sequence of occupation which continued until the 2nd century AD. Only the first phase of occupation was within the enclosure. The later phases of the settlement were unenclosed.

<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

Aug 3 2010 5:27PM