Monument record MDO1938 - Roman occupation, Piddletrenthide

Surface finds of Roman pottery, roof and flue tiles may indicate the site of a Roman villa. Fragmentary earthwork remains of an Iron Age or Romano-British field system.

'A' (ST 72560091) Romano-British tile and pottery fragments observed in newly broken up field, in April 1949. Similarly at 'B' (ST 72750077) and 'C' (ST 72820074). <1>

Examination of the area showed a fairly extensive scatter of Romano-British debris, including roof and combed flue-tile fragments, a piece of samian ware and a quantity of coarse pottery some of which is of 3rd-4th century. Fragmentary remains of a 'Celtic' field system over the area suggest the existence of a native farmstead or village site. <2>

The area was under plough when visited and an extensive scatter of Romano-British debris, including several fragments of samian, was noted at 'B' and 'C'. Nothing was found at 'A' and no extant remains of a settlement were located. No significant soil/cropmarks on OS air photographs <3.1>. <3>

Surface finds of 3rd-4th century AD pottery, flue tiles, broken tegulae and imbrices. <4>

DO 24 Listed as the possible site of a Roman villa. <5>

<1> Farrar R A H, Annotated Record Map Rec. 6 (R A H Farrar) (Map). SDO17570.

<2> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1949, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1948, 62 (Serial). SDO48.

<3> Barrett, G, Various, Field Investigators Comments GB, F1 GB 06-NOV-78 (Unpublished document). SDO17369.

<3.1> Ordnance Survey, OS 74/058/111 (Aerial Photograph). SDO17574.

<3.1> Ordnance Survey, OS 74/058/112 (Aerial Photograph). SDO17568.

<4> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1990, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1989, 107 (Serial). SDO89.

‘DOLE’S ASH FARM, PIDDLETRENTHIDE. New tree planting has provided the opportunity for more fieldwalking on this adjacent Romano-British site (ST 728008), first recorded in 1949 (PDNHAS, 70 (1948), 62), and still under arable cultivation. Below the 500 ft. contour a scattering of occupation debris was observed. This included two pieces of combed box-tile, several broken tegulae and imbrices. Pottery fragments are consistent with the late 3rd to 4th-century date proposed previously.’

<5> Scott, E, 1993, A Gazetteer of Roman villas in Britain, 53 (Bibliographic reference). SWX1795.

<6> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 2, 219 (Monograph). SDO136.

‘(41) OCCUPATION DEBRIS (727008), Romano-British, is found on Dole's Ash Farm on a S.W.–facing slope of the Chalk at about 500 ft. above O.D.; 'finds' include samian ware, 3rd and 4th-century coarse ware, and roof and flue tiles (Dorset Procs. LXX (1948), 62).’

<7> National Record of the Historic Environment, 202033 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jan 28 2022 1:48PM