Monument record MDO18980 - 2 High West Street, Dorchester; Roman surface

A gravelled area near the western corner of Cornhill and High West Street was observed in 1965, and interpreted as the courtyard of the Roman Forum.

<1> Sparey Green, C J, 1963-1965, 2 High West Street, Dorchester (Excavation archive). SDO9713.

<2> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 564-6, no.196 (Monograph). SDO150.

'(196) Building Remains, walls, floors, etc., observed during 1963–5 in trenches dug in the N. end of South Street (Cornhill) and behind premises on the W. side. Three trenches in gardens S.W. of Lloyds Bank, 2 High West Street (69229069, 69239070, 69239069), exposed a flintgravelled floor or floors some 2½ ft. below surface, laid on chalk rubble overlying a brown loam, probably of natural origin, on the surface of the Chalk. This gravel may have been continuous with similar flooring noted 30 yds. to the N.E. in Cornhill S. of the Town Pump (69269070). Gravel was also found under the pavement outside the Midland Bank (69259069); a lead-worker's hearth was found some 10 ft. to S. Late Roman pottery was recovered from the surface of these gravel exposures, and in 1955 sherds perhaps as early as the mid 1st century A.D. had been found in the top of the underlying loam at one point (Lloyds, 69239070). Sherds of the mid 1st century were found on similar loam N.E. of the Town Pump (69269071). Remains of walls conforming with the street grid, some of them perhaps substantial, were seen in the exposures in Cornhill. The observer suggests a gravelled area spreading some 125 ft. E.-W., representing the site of the Forum. (Information from Mr. C. J. Green.)'

<3> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1431020 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 22 2024 7:34PM