Monument record MDO19100 - Iron Age/Romano-British burials, Railway Cutting, Wareham Road, Dorchester

An Iron Age or Romano -British inhumation cemetery has been recorded in the vicinity of Wareham House since 1846. Several pits have been found along with pottery and a bone comb. Descriptions suggest the burials may Durotrigian.

Romano-British inhumations and other remains were
found in the vicinity of Wareham House (SY 702901). Accession
numbers of finds now in the Dorset County Museum are given
below:-

1846 Human remains and much black pottery, of which two
Durotrigian class 1 bowls (Acc. 1846 2.6-7) still survive, were
found during the construction of the railway in 1846. Some of
the finds came from a trench or ditch, 7-8ft. deep, apparently
running north west-south east, which contained pottery, animal
bones and human teeth.

1884 During the widening of the railway cutting in 1884,
several chalk-filled pits, 4ft diameter x 5ft. deep were
found; one of which had a baked clay floor, perforated with
holes. At the centre of this pit and resting on a flat stone
was a Durotrigian class 12 storage jar (Acc. 1886.9.65)
surrounded at its base by soot, perhaps suggesting a pottery
kiln. Another pit according to Hogg (a) had a 'clay heater'
with a hole on each side 'for drawing it out of the fire'. A
1st century segmental strip brooch (Collingwood group K) and
part of a bronze tubular bracelet (Acc. 1886.9.180-1) also came
from one of these pits. Hogg mentioned a nearby grave containing `a skeleton and three specimens of well finished grey-black ware' given to the county museum. They are undoubtedly the hemispherical bowl, the globular Durotrigian bowl and probably the incomplete bowl, perhaps derived from 'Hengistbury Class B type' now in Dorset County Museum (Acc. Nos. 1886.9.4; 1884.10.6 and 1886.9.28. Hogg Collection).

1892 Nine or more inhumations and other remains were found in the garden of Wareham House in 1892; at least six of which were found in chalk-cut graves. An iron nail and knife (in DCM) were embedded in the left arm of one burial. Further burials included that of a young person togther with a double-sided bone comb, probably of the 4th century and another burial with two ear-rings of silver wire and four glass beads (Acc. 1888 1.2-6). Several pits were also found, some filled with black material including one 'elliptical' pit containing animal bones and minute shells. Another pit was filled with red earth in which was found an antler pick (in DCM). None of the burials were found with vessels, but in the topsoil were many sherds (Acc 1938.10), including Samian.

1960 Probably four inhumations found in 1960 during the digging of a trench for water-mains about 50 yards east and south-east of Wareham House. The burial of a man together with a few sherds of coarse pottery and Samian ware were found in a chalk-cut grave at SY 70308999. Human remains were also seen at SY 7031-9002 and SY 70329004; a broken human jaw together with a small 1st century Durotrigian class 7 jar (Acc 1960. 44) were found 6 1/2 ft. beyond the latter grid reference. At least seven shallow depressions, mostly saucer-shaped in section were also observed between the burials.<1>

<1> 1846, Poundbury (Article in serial). SDO9821.

<2> 1846, The Southampton and Dorchester Rail Road works, Dorset County Chronicle (Article in serial). SDO9820.

<3> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 575, no. 218a (Monograph). SDO150.

<3.1> Hogg, B A, Manuscript note in the Dorset Museum (Unpublished document). SDO20178.

<4> National Record of the Historic Environment, 454979 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Sep 28 2023 6:48AM