Monument record MDO2087 - Romano-British burials at Black Down Cottage, 34a Front St, Portesham

Two adjoining Romano-British cist burials, discovered in 1975 outside the back door of Black Down Cottage, 34A Front Street, Portesham (SY 603860), were excavated by J Bailey at the invitation of the occupier, Mr W Roper.

The cists, of stone slabs, were aligned east north east and north east, and each contained the skeleton of a child. In one were some sherds of Romano-British coarse ware and a piece of Samian, and late medieval sherds were found in the soil above the cists. <1>

<1> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1976, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1975, 51 (Serial). SDO75.

'TWO ROMANO-BRITISH CIST BURIALS AT PORTESHAM, DORSET.

In July 1975 Mr. W. J. S. Roper uncovered a human skull whilst excavating an area for a patio outside the back door of 34A, Black Down Cottage, Front Street, Portesham (SY 603860). Thanks to his cooperation the writer was able to excavate and record two cist burials indicating Romano-British occupation.
The nature of the discovery was not realised until the skull was found, and by this time the slabs covering the burial, save for two at the foot, had been removed, as had two uprights forming the right side of the cist. The uprights were square at the head end but tapered in at the foot. The overall length of the cist was 1.5 m and the width 0.35 m at the head end. The skeleton, which was lying on gravelly clay, was well preserved although the right shoulder and upper arm had been dug out before excavation. The body being longer than the grave, the skull was bent forward into an almost upright position. The teeth were well preserved in situ, the eruption of the first two permanent molars giving an age of about 6 or 7 years. The sex was not determined. Several abraded sherds of Romano-British coarse ware were found at the bottom of the grave and a scrap of samian in the fill. The feet were to the E.N.E.
As soon as this burial had been excavated and recorded the work was continued and a second cist was found by the side of the first but orientated to the N.E. About 1.0 m long and 0.3 m wide, the small grave was rectangular with two large covering slabs. As in the first burial, local limestone had been used. The caving-in of the uprights on the left, due to pressure from the side, suggested the possibility of a third grave. The disintegrated skeleton was that of a child of about two years.
The two cists were at the same level, on gravelly clay between two large sarsen stones. A section through the site indicated removal of the ground level associated with the burials, probably during building activity. Late medieval unglazed sherds were found almost down to the top of the cists. Above them the present-day ground is built up of clinker and ash from the ovens of the bakery which stood on the site of Black Down Cottage.'

<2> National Record of the Historic Environment, 452526 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Oct 29 2024 1:27PM