Monument record MDO18514 - Fordington Field; Roman grain drier

A grain drier was found during evaluation excavations between the sites of Maiden Castle Road and Middle Farm undertaken by Wessex Archaeology in 1987 in advance of the Dorchester By-pass construction. This was oval in plan, with near vertical sides and a flat bottom. There was some orange/black clay on the base and the remainder of the feature was filled with brown clay soil. Three small abraded sherds of Black-burnished ware were recovered from this feature, suggesting a Roman or later date.

Found during the evaluation excavations between the sites of Maiden Castle Road and Middle Farm undertaken by Wessex Archaeology in 1987 in advance of the Dorchester By-pass construction. The following description is abstracted from the final published report on the site (1).

The grain drier was oval in plan and measured about 1.25m long and 0.4m deep, with near vertical sides and a flat bottom. There was some orange/black clay on the base and the remainder of the feature was filled with brown clay soil. Three small abraded sherds of Black-burnished ware were recovered from this feature, suggesting a Roman or later date.

Wessex Archaeology, 1987, Dorchester By-pass (Excavation archive). SDO9385.

<1> Smith, R J C et al, 1997, Excavations along the Route of the Dorchester By-pass, Dorset, 1986-8, 71 (Monograph). SDO9379.

Record last edited

Jan 9 2007 11:57AM