Monument record MDO18847 - Roman building remains, South Street, Dorchester

The remains of a heavily robbed Roman building with traces of hypocaust debris and chalk floors were found in a gas main trench along South Street In front of the National Westminster Bank.

The remains of a heavily robbed Roman building with traces of hypocaust debris and chalk floors were found in a gas main trench along South Street In front of the National Westminster Bank. Quantities of Flavian and pre-Flavian samian were recovered from the earliest floors and construction levels. (1-2)

These building remains may be associated with building remains including a tesselated floor found to the west under 50 South Street. (2)

<1> Keen, L, 1979, Dorset Archaeology in 1979. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society (Article in serial). SDO9647.

In front of the National Westminster Bank an area of floored with chalk extended south until at the south-east corner of the Bank a large oven was crossed (SY 69249058).

<2> Woodward, P J , Davies, S M , and Graham, A H, 1993, Excavations at the Old Methodist Chapel and Greyhound Yard, Dorchester, 1981-1984, 5-7 (Monograph). SDO9411.

OBSERVATION 14: Records for gas-main trench for 60m along South Street to south of recorded Roman street (Observation 13); identified sequence of substantial Roman buildings occurring up to 30m along pipe trench back from Roman street, subsidiary buildings south. Could link with c. 30m zone of principal buildings on northern frontage of insula (cf Fig. 2, excavation trenches C and P), in which case zone to east of observation indicates gap or narrowing of built frontage at this point (Observations 2-4). Some of remains may relate to zone of buildings on western frontage, as also less substantial remains recorded in pipe-trench to south (cf Observation 15).
Three phase sequence of building identified in record for northern street frontage. Primary timber slots and a post-hole cut into old ground surface sealed by chalk floor bounded on south by substantial foundation 12m south of insula frontage. Demolition debris of building contained wall plaster and was sealed by mixed soils with limestone chips, which may derive from construction trenches and debris from erection of later substantial building on street frontage. This later street frontage building identified in flint and mortar foundation cut to south of roadside ditch (Observation 13), associated chalk floors to south. No concrete, mortar or tessellated surfaces recorded, but plan can be linked to building to west constructed in the 3rd-4th century AD on the northern street frontage (cf, Fig. 2, excavation trench A; RCHM 1970, Monument 198). Flavian samian recovered from below floor of phase 2. 2nd-3rd century samian found in phase 3 construction level. TO south was sunken and heavily robbed area with traces of hypocaust debris which can be linked to building recorded on western street frontage (Observation 15). Quantity of Flavian and pre-Flavian samian recovered here from earliest floors and construction levels.

<3> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1410264 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 22 2024 7:32PM