Monument record MDO18550 - Alington Avenue Post-Roman Pits within D-shaped Enclosure

Evidence for Post-Roman pits within the D-shaped enclosure was discovered during excavations at Alington Avenue. 4 pits were recorded cutting the upper fills of well [1791] and building [459]. The uppermost fill of well [1791] contained a decorated lead alloy pendant datable to between the 5th-7th centuries AD. Pits [1308/1309/1355/1358] appear to be stratigraphically above this object. Furthermore, the upper fill [901] of pits [1308/9] contained 48 Kg of a coarse, late, oxidised BBW fabric, Q107, recently suggested to be of Post-Roman origin. Pit [1308] was rectangular in plan, measuring 1.75m x 1.25m x 0.3m deep. This pit was the latest in the sequence. Pit 1309 was sub-circular in plan and measured 2.00m in diameter x 0.4m deep. Pit 1358 was originally interpreted as an access point to well [1791] and contemporary with it. It is not clear from the report whether it contains the post Roman lead alloy pendant within its backfill or whether it cuts the upper fills of well [1791].

Found during a series of archaeological evaluations and excavations conducted by Wessex Archaeology at Alington Avenue, Fordington, Dorchester, between 1984-1987. The results of the excavations have been published as a Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Monograph (DNHAS Monograph 15). The numbers in square brackets below refer to the context and feature numbers used in the published reports (1).

4 pits were recorded cutting the upper fills of well [1791] and building [459]. The uppermost fill of well [1791] contained a decorated lead alloy pendant datable to between the 5th-7th centuries AD. Pits [1308/1309/1355/1358] appear to be stratigraphically above this object. Furthermore, the upper fill [901] of pits [1308/9] contained 48 Kg of a coarse, late, oxidised BBW fabric, Q107, recently suggested to be of Post-Roman origin (2).

Pit [1308] was rectangular in plan, measuring 1.75m x 1.25m x 0.3m deep. This pit was the latest in the sequence. Pit 1309 was sub-circular in plan and measured 2.00m in diameter x 0.4m deep. Pit 1358 was originally interpreted as an access point to well [1791] and contemporary with it. It is not clear from the report whether it contains the post Roman lead alloy pendant within its backfill or whether it cuts the upper fills of well [1791].

This pit complex cuts the southern corner of building [459], abandoned in the 3rd century, and seems to be associated with post-Roman post-built structure [4435].

<1> Davies, S M, Bellamy, P S , Heaton, M J , and Woodward, P J, 2002, Excavations at Alington Avenue, Fordington, Dorchester, Dorset, 1984-87 (Monograph). SDO9565.

<2> Gerrard, J, 2005, Pottery and the end of Roman Britain: the view from Somerset and Dorset. (Unpublished document). SDO10062.

Record last edited

Aug 29 2024 12:32PM