Monument record MDO18649 - Dorset County Library, Colliton Park, Dorchester; Roman building remains

Observations undertaken by Christopher Sparey Green during the construction of the new Dorset County Library in 1965 revealed traces of two Roman walls of mortared limestone and flint. The northernmost wall was aligned roughly ENE-WSW and the southern wall ran E-W. Between the walls was found much building rubble, including painted wall plaster and a fragment of Ham stone guttering. These walls clearly belong to Roman buildings, but it is not certain whether they are part of the same building or not, though this does seem probable. The plan of the building cannot be reconstructed. No dating evidence was recovered but it is likely that these walls belonged to structures dating to the 3rd and 4th century AD, in common with the other structures found in Colliton Park.

Observations undertaken by Christopher Sparey Green during the construction of the new Dorset County Library in 1965 revealed traces of two Roman walls with much building debris between them (1) (2). The northernmost wall was aligned roughly ENE-WSW and was composed of mortared flint and limestone. There was a lot of fallen wall plaster on the eastern side of this wall (2). The southern wall was found beneath the pavement to the north of the library and was aligned E-W. It was also of mortared flint and limestone construction. A large quantity of building rubble, including painted wall plaster and a fragment of Ham stone guttering, was found in the area between the two walls (2).

These walls clearly belong to Roman buildings, but it is not certain whether they are part of the same building or not, though this does seem probable. The plan of the building cannot be reconstructed. No dating evidence was recovered but it is likely that these walls belonged to structures dating to the 3rd and 4th century AD, in common with the other structures found in Colliton Park.

<1> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 561, Dorchester no. 188 (Monograph). SDO150.

<2> Aitken, G, and Aitken, N, 1982, 'Excavations on the Library Site, Colliton Park, Dorchester' Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 126 (Article in serial). SDO9729.

Record last edited

Aug 22 2024 7:30PM