Monument record MDO18603 - Colliton Park, Dorchester; Early Roman Pit W

A rectangular pit containing 1st century pottery, part of an iron tyre band for a wheel, and two bands from a hub was found beneath the wall footings of Building V in the E part of Colliton Park during excavations in 1937 and 1938. This pit is notable both for the finds within it and because it is one of the few early Roman features found at Colliton Park.

A pit containing 1st century pottery and an iron tyre band for a wheel was found beneath the wall footings of Building V in the E part of Colliton Park during excavations in 1937 and 1938. Due to the outbreak of World War II, the excavations were never completed or written up. The following account is based on the interim report (1) and the Royal Commission Inventory entry (2).

Pit W was a rectangular pit which lay to the east of the N-S road that crosses Colliton Park. It was found beneath the wall footings of the south wall of aisled barn Building V. The upper part of this pit was dug out to increase the depth of the footings for the overlying wall of Building V. The pit produced a quantity of 1st century AD pottery including some complete or near complete vessels, including a carinated bowl and a small beaker or jar (1, pl VIA). It also produced part of the iron tyre of a wheel and two iron bands from a hub (2).

This pit is notable both for the finds within it and because it is one of the few early Roman features found at Colliton Park.

Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1937-1938, Colliton Park, Dorchester (Excavation archive). SDO10066.

<1> Drew, C D, and Collingwood Selby, K C, 1938, 'The Excavations at Colliton Park, Dorchester: Second Interim report; Excavations carried out in the season of 1938' Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 59 & Pl. VI (Article in serial). SDO9765.

<2> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 2, 560 (Monograph). SDO149.

‘(187) BUILDING N.E. of (186), fronting on the E. side of the street (180) with which it was approximately aligned, was also poorly preserved (69029089; Building V in interim report, Drew and Selby, op. cit. (1938); Fig. p. 554). ... A pit with late 1st-century pottery, an iron wheel-tyre and hub bands, underlay the S. wall.’

Record last edited

Aug 22 2024 7:30PM