Monument record MDO19287 - Poundbury, Dorchester; post-Roman Structure R19

Structure R19 was discovered during the 1966-79 excavations at Poundbury, Dorchester. It was a shallow terrace forming an irregular platform that was only partially exposed within the excavation area. It is uncertain whether this terrace contained a structure or not. The soil infill suggests a 4th century date for it, but its form is similar to the post-Roman sunken-featured structures, so it may be later in date.

Found during the excavations directed by Christopher Sparey Green, for the Dorchester Excavation Committee, between 1966 and 1979 during development of the Grove Trading Estate on the eastern slopes of Poundbury Camp, Dorchester (1). The numbers in square brackets below refer to the context and feature numbers used in the published excavation reports and archive (1)(2). Further refinement of the post-Roman settlement sequence has been undertaken by Christopher Sparey Green since the initial publication of the site and this has been taken into account in the following description (3) (4).

Structure R19 lay to the north of the late Roman enclosure 1 in the northeast corner of Site E. Only part of this possible structure was exposed. It comprised a slight terrace forming an irregular platform over 4.25m long and 1.5m wide, which may have formed the corner of a structure. No structural elements were recognised as being contemporary with the terrace. Four postholes were found in the SW corner, but three cut the soil infill of the terrace and are probably later. It is not certain that this terrace was associated with a building. The terrace was filled with grey-brown soil containing a large quantity of 1st century and 4th century AD pottery. The earlier pottery is thought to have derived from the adjacent burials on the site. The quantities of 4th century pottery suggests that the terrace was late Roman in date. However, the terrace was also similar to those of a number of post-Roman sunken-featured structures, so it is possible that it is post-Roman in date.

In the review of the post-Roman evidence at Poundbury, Christopher Sparey Green has tentatively suggested that it may belong to the phase 2 post-Roman settlement on the basis of its form (3). This phase of settlement is distinguished by the appearance of small terraced or sunken-floored buildings of post and wattle construction, each surrounded by irregular ditched enclosures (PR5-10 and PR13) (3). Christopher Sparey-Green has recently suggested that this settlement phase of sunken dwellings within small enclosures represent individual cells for a religious (possibly female) community established on the site of the late Roman cemetery (4).

<1> Sparey Green, C, 1987, Excavations at Poundbury, Dorchester, Dorset 1966-1982. Volume 1: The Settlements (Monograph). SDO9630.

<2> Sparey Green, C, 1966-1979, Poundbury, Grove Trading Estate, Dorchester (Excavation archive). SDO10096.

<3> Sparey Green, C J, 1996, Poundbury, Dorset: settlement and economy in the Late and post-Roman Dorchester (Article in monograph). SDO10040.

<4> Sparey Green, C J, Living amongst the dead: From Roman cemetery to post-Roman monastic settlement at Poundbury (Article in monograph). SDO10041.

Record last edited

Mar 21 2011 10:32AM