Monument record MDO18463 - Poundbury Post-Roman Structure PR3a

Post-Roman Structure PR3a was discovered in the southeast part of Late Roman enclosure 3, during the 1966-79 excavations at Poundbury, Dorchester. This structure was located approximately 3m north of structure PR2b and its remains were very vestigial. They comprised two rows of postholes and a trampled terrace area, which extended beyond the postholes to the west. A third row of post-holes is thought to lie beyond the limits of the excavation to the west, to define a large rectangular building. Immediately to the north was grain drier 3 and it is possible that PR3a had an agricultural function, perhaps as a barn. It was subsequently replaced by another post-built structure PR3b on the same site. Structure PR3a was assigned, along with buildings PR1a, PR2b, PR5, PR15, and possibly PR14; pit groups ii-v; grain driers 1,2,3 & 5 to phase 1 of the post-Roman settlement. This represented the earliest post-Roman settlement on the site of the late Roman cemetery.

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 excavation report and archive (1)(2). Further refinement of the post-Roman settlement sequence has been undertaken by Christopher Sparey Green since the initial publication of the site and this has been taken into account in the following description (3) (4).

Structure PR3a was found in the southeast part of late Roman enclosure 3 on the western side of Site B. This structure was originally published as Structure PR3 (1), but in a later reappraisal of the post-Roman settlements, it was split into two structures; PR3a in phase 1 of the post-Roman settlement and structure PR3b in phase 3 (3).

Structure PR3a comprised two parallel rows of posts approximately 11.6m long and about 2.7m apart, associated with a trampled floor surface. This floor extended further to the west beyond the limit of excavation where it is thought a third row of posts would lie forming the western wall of a structure approximately 6m wide. This post-built structure would then be similar in design and dimensions to Structure PR12.

No evidence survived for the roof structure, but the walls may have been partly drystone or cob. A gully [B176], aligned on the northern wall of the structure, extended to the east of the building to connect it with post-Roman pit group ii. Immediately to the north of structure PR3a was grain drier 3. It is possible that PR3a was used for some agricultural purpose, perhaps as a barn.

Structure 3a along with buildings PR1a, PR2b, PR5, PR15, and possibly PR14; pit groups ii-v; grain driers 1,2,3 & 5 represented the earliest post-Roman settlement on the site of the late Roman cemetery (3).

<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.

<3> Sparey Green, C J, 1996, Poundbury, Dorset: settlement and economy in the Late and post-Roman Dorchester (Article in monograph). SDO10040.

<4> Sparey Green, C J, Living amongst the dead: From Roman cemetery to post-Roman monastic settlement at Poundbury (Article in monograph). SDO10041.

Record last edited

Aug 3 2010 5:31PM