Monument record MDO18655 - Library Site, Colliton Park, Dorchester; Roman Building 1

The remains of a simple rectangular building were found in the east part of the excavations on the site of the new Dorset County Library, Colliton Park, Dorchester in 1961-63. Building 1 was a simple rectangular structure with mortared flint walls with limestone quoins and a chalk floor. A line of postholes ran along the centre of the building. The entrance was probably in the east end of the north wall. over flint and limestone footings set in chalk. No sign of any internal partitions were found. This building was probably a warehouse, or perhaps an industrial building. It was probably constructed in the later 2nd century AD and appeared to continue in use until the early 4th century AD. Building 2 butted against the southern side of Building 1.

The remains of a simple rectangular building were found in the east part of the excavations on the site of the new Dorset County Library, Colliton Park, Dorchester in 1961-63 (1) (2). Only the northwest corner was not exposed during the excavations.

Building 1 was a simple rectangular structure measuring about 14m by 7m across defined by mortared flint walls with limestone quoins over flint and limestone footings set in chalk. A gap in the walls in the east end of the north wall probably represents an entrance. Two postholes were found in this area. A line of four large postholes were found running down the centre of the building, perhaps roof supports. Another posthole was found off-line close to the north wall. The building had a rammed chalk floor. No sign of any internal partitions were found.

The size, the simple plan, and lack of internal divisions suggest that this building was unlikely to be a domestic structure and was probably a warehouse, or perhaps an industrial building.

It was built over several early Roman pits filled with plaster debris, which were probably filled in c. AD120. Some 1st century AD material, and an Iron Age coin were found within the chalk spreads beneath the building. It was probably constructed in the later 2nd century AD and appeared to continue in use until the early 4th century AD.

Building 2 butted against the southern side of Building 1.

<1> Aitken, G, and Aitken, N, 1982, 'Excavations on the Library Site, Colliton Park, Dorchester' Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 99-100 (Article in serial). SDO9729.

‘(188) BUILDINGS, in Colliton Park S. of (185), excavated in 1961–3 by Mrs. G. M. Aitken (68979076; Fig. p. 554).

A rectangular building 50 ft. by 26 ft., aligned due N. to S., had walls of mortared flint and limestone 2 ft. thick, perhaps with a door in the N. end, a puddled chalk floor, and a line of five post-holes down the centre for a roof probably of stone slabs. The W. wall footings had shifted where they overlay pits containing 1st and early 2nd-century samian ware and coins; a layer accumulated after disuse of the building contained 3rd-century coins. A second building or room, 24 ft. wide, and 30 ft. long if post-holes to the E. belonged to an E. wall of timber, had been added on the S.W.; its chalk and earth floor sealed an oven. There was a cobbled yard in the angle between these buildings; stone slabs sealing a roofed oven to the W., containing a coin of Victorinus (A.D. 267–70), were probably part of this paving.

On a parallel alignment to the W. was another building 28 ft. wide and over 26 ft. long, with well-built herring-bone limestone walls 1¾ ft. thick, possibly plastered in red on the inside, and with doorways in the W. and S. sides. Its floor of puddled chalk sealed an unused oven in the centre of the building; there were apparently a timber lean-to on the W. and a drainage gully outside the E. wall, while to the S. a large rectangular storage pit and an oven W. of it may have been in contemporary use. The pit, 15 ft. deep and flat-bottomed, contained debris including coins from 253 to 278 and wheat, bean and vetch seeds. A layer of debris on the floor of the building had not accumulated before A.D. 270. Another rectangular building similarly orientated and measuring 32 ft. by 23 ft. was erected in the 4th century over its S. end. The wall footings had holes for a timber superstructure and there was a doorway in the S. wall; an oven towards the N. end was built in the flue of an earlier oven against the N. wall. The date of this building is given by a coin of Claudius II (A.D. 268–70) below its floor of puddled chalk, and one of the early 4th century in the filling of the pit below the S.E. corner. Two parallel rows of post-holes running W. at right angles to the W. wall apparently indicated a fifth building, of timber, 23 ft. by 17 ft., with three successive chalk floors, the earliest sealing New Forest pottery. This structure overlay remains of a narrow, rutted street or path (181), of similar alignment to the buildings but curving N.E. and perhaps not one of the public streets of the town. (Dorset Procs. LXXXIV (1962), 101; LXXXV (1963), 96; Somerset and Dorset Notes and Queries XXVIII (1964), 189–91; information from Mrs. G. M. Aitken.)

Indications of two walls were seen to the N. in a drain trench dug northwards from the new County Library in 1965; one of them (68969079), running rather E. of N., had fallen wall plaster to the E.; the other (68969078), below the footpath beside the Library, ran E. to W. (information from Mr. C. J. Green). They are not shown on the plan. The street or path (181) seems, however, to have turned north-eastwards to run between these remains and those excavated by Mrs. Aitken.’

<2> Draper, J, 1983, 'Some further discussion of the Library Site, Colliton Park, Dorchester' Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 158 (Article in serial). SDO10071.

Record last edited

Aug 22 2024 7:30PM