Monument record MDO18581 - Alington Avenue Outlying Roman Graves

Evidence for outlying Roman graves was discovered during excavations at Alington Avenue. Five groups of graves totalling 9 burials from 11 graves were located outside the main cemetery area. These included two isolated burials [2621] & [2629] to the north of the western ditch of the droveway [2207]; a group of four graves [1245], [1262], [1264] & [2797] lying within 12m of each other and some 10m from the SE of the corner of the D-shaped enclosure; two graves [1283] & [1819] lying 25m apart in the extreme SE of the Alington Avenue site; three graves within the line of the double ring ditch [2300].

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).

Five groups of graves totalling 9 burials from 11 graves were located outside the main cemetery area. These included two isolated burials [2621] & [2629] to the north of the western ditch of the droveway [2207]. Both burials were of adult females, interred in nailed wooden coffins and accompanied by hobnails and food offerings. There is no dating evidence for this small group other than comparison with other similar graves. This suggests a 3rd century date for these burials.

A group of four graves [1245], [1262], [1264] & [2797] were found lying within 12m of each other and some 10m from the SE of the corner of the D-shaped enclosure. The graves lay in some isolation, without any obvious topographic features related to them. Grave [2797] was empty. The other contained two adult males and a juvenile in nailed wooden coffins. Two contained hobnails and one of these had an early 3rd century coin placed in the mouth.

Two graves [1283] & [1819] lying 25m apart in the extreme SE of the Alington Avenue site were located well away from the main area containing burials. The burial in grave [1283] was contained in a nailed wooden coffin and grave [1819] was empty.

Three graves within the line of the double ring ditch [2300] all contained adult burials (2 males in nailed wooden coffins and one unsexed with no coffin). Only grave [1142] contained a burial accompanied by grave goods, hobnails and a food offering.

<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.

Record last edited

Dec 12 2018 5:46PM