Monument record MDO19038 - Foundry Yard, High Street, Fordington, Dorchester; Roman building

In 1927, a Roman mosaic was exposed under the south side of High Street, Fordington. The mosaic was lifted and relaid in Dorset County Museum. The mosaic comprises two panels, a square panel with a horseshoe-shaped apse to the south. The apsidal panel contained an aquatic scene comprising the head of Neptune or Oceanus flanked by a pair of dolphins and fish. The mosaic is probably dated to the 2nd century AD and has strong affinities with the mosaics of the Corinian region. The walls of the building were not exposed, but quantities of painted wall plaster debris and ceramic roof tile were found overlying the floor. The size and plan of the building is not known but the quality of the mosaic suggests a building of some pretension. This house lay outside the line of the town defences. The relationship with the defences is not clear, certainly if there was a similar layout to the defences on the east side of the town as has been found to the west and south, then the building would lie on the line of the ditches and within the area of the counterscarp bank. It is possible that the building was constructed on the side of the eastern approach road to the town.

In 1927, a Roman mosaic was exposed under the south side of High Street, Fordington and in the entrance to Lott and Walne's foundry works on the south side of the street at a depth of 0.9-1.2m (3-4ft). The mosaic was lifted and relaid in Dorset County Museum.

The mosaic measured 4.8m by 7.33m and was laid on a foundation apparently constructed directly on top of the original soil. It comprised a layer of small flints rammed into the clay with a layer of larger flints and opus signinum 0.2-0.3m (9-12ins) thick, upon which the 0.04m (1.5ins) thick mortar bed for the tesserae was laid. The walls of the room do not appear to have been exposed. Overlying the floor was a layer of plaster and mortared flint rubble 0.15-0.25m thick. The majority of plaster fragments were painted dark pompeian red, but sufficient pieces survived to suggest that the lower part of the walls had been painted in various designs in dark red, blue, yellow and black. The plaster from the upper part of the walls and ceiling was apparently white or with green and white lines. Within the plaster debris were also a number of ceramic roof tile fragments, a large quantity of oyster shell, a small quantity of Roman glass and a number of iron objects including two knife blades, which were thought to possibly be Saxon by the excavator. However, at least one of these knives is not Saxon. Two sherds of possibly 1st century AD samian pottery were found in the base for the mosaic.

The size and plan of the building is not known but the quality of the mosaic suggests a building of some pretension. This house lay outside the line of the town defences. The relationship with the defences is not clear, certainly if there was a similar layout to the defences on the east side of the town as has been found to the west and south, then the building would lie on the line of the ditches and within the area of the counterscarp bank. It is possible that the building was constructed on the side of the eastern approach road to the town.<1>

Roman tessellated pavement, fragments of coloured wall plaster, roof and flue tiles found on the premises of Messrs. Lott and Walne "may be referred to as the "Fordington High Street" pavement". Discovered 5th October 1927, relaid in School of Art next to the Museum. This pavement was within 73 yards of the pavement found in Durngate Street (SY 69 SE 28). <2>

In 1903 when new gas mains were laid under the southern edge of the roadway and several feet below the surface, a small piece of tessellated floor was found (see illustration). It may have been a path leading from the adjoining road to a house standing on higher ground more to the south. The southern end was 4ft and the northern end 3ft. Below ground level. The tesserae, of several colours, were of Dorset stone. Two probably Saxon knives were found beneath the Roman plaster. <1> <4>

The gas mains of 1903 were plotted from A to B on 1/2500 from a plan in the Dorchester Gas showrooms, scale 1/500. They extended NW-SE at a distance of 3.0 metres from the northern edge of the pavement. The area is covered by a concrete yard and modern made up road. <5>

One of the knives is probably Saxon. The other is doubtful. Both in Museum. <6>

The mosaic comprises two panels, a square panel with a horseshoe-shaped apse to the south. The square panel comprises a three-by-three grid of octagons delineated by guilloche containing medallions with stylised flowers, the whole surrounded by a dark grey band. It is flanked by narrow rectangular panels, the northern having a row of cornice design and the southern a foliate scroll emanating from a central cantharus. The apsidal panel has a series of concentric semicircles of differing guilloche enclosing an aquatic scene comprising the head of Neptune or Oceanus flanked by a pair of dolphins and fish. The workmanship is particularly fine employing eight colours. <8>

The mosaic was assigned to the 'Durnovarian School', but this is no longer thought to be likely and it has more similarities in workmanship and design with mosaics from Corinium (Cirencester) and it is likely that it was constructed by Corinian craftsmen using local materials.

The style of the mosaic suggests it is probably 2nd century AD in date and is the only mosaic of this date known from Dorchester <8>.

National Record of the Historic Environment, 453306 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

<1> Vidler, O C, 1928, Description of Romano-British Pavement originally found in 1903 and re-discovered on October 5th 1927, 89-100 (Article in serial). SDO9774.

<2> Society of Antiquaries of London, 1928, The Antiquaries Journal 8, 237-8 (Serial). SDO19822.

<3> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey 25-inch map, 1929 (Map). SDO10373.

(SY 69599072) Roman Mosaic Pavement [R] (Site of)

<4> Acland, J E, Private 1 to 25 inch scale map and index, 1904-1932 (Map). SDO19853.

<5> Rigg, J, Field Investigators Comments JR, F1 JR 18-AUG-54 (Unpublished document). SWX1255.

<6> Rigg, J, Field Investigators Comments JR, F2 JR 26-AUG-54 (Unpublished document). SWX1255.

<6.1> Drew, Lt-Col C D, Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments: (Lt Col C D Drew. Curator, Dorset County Museum, Dorchester), 26.8.54 (Verbal communication). SWX2099.

<7> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 569, Dorchester no. 210 (Monograph). SDO150.

<8> Cosh, S R, and Neal, D S, 2005, Roman Mosaics of Britain. Volume II South-west Britain, 100-102 (Monograph). SDO10182.

Record last edited

Aug 22 2024 7:35PM