Monument record MDO2166 - Iron Age and Romano-British occupation at Manor Farm, Poxwell

Evidence of Romano-British occupation was discovered during levelling of strip lynchets in 1967. This comprised dark earth containing late Roman pottery, scraps of iron, animal bones and shells, and a number of stone slabs. The site appeared to have been preserved beneath a prehistoric field lynchet levelled to form strip lynchets in the medieval period. Excavations in 1968 revealed a large Iron Age pit, interpreted as a possible grain storage pit, a corn drier thought likely also to be Iron Age, and further evidence of Romano-British occupation, including burials.

Strip lynchets, centred SY 736840, part of the open field system of Poxwell, were examined whilst being levelled in 1967, together with similar lynchets to the east. Four prominent risers on the north side of the valley measured about 270 yards long by 5 feet high. Beneath them were remains of "Celtic" fields which may have been part of a system extending west into Osmington and east beyond Poxwell village. A cut by mechanical digger (at SY 73628399) revealed the site of a Romano-British settlement which seems to have been covered by the destruction of the Celtic field lynchets prior to strip cultivation. A concentrated mass of occupation debris was found, with scraps of iron, a number of stone slabs, and sherds mainly of the late 3rd or 4th century, including New Forest ware.<2-3>

Excavations in 1968 by J S Wacher revealed a small work-shop of the late third century at the corner of a 'Celtic' field on chalk downland 650 ft (200m) W of Poxwell Church (SY 736840). A rough shelter with foundations of dry stone walling shielded a small circular oven of unknown use, a large furnace and a corn drying oven containing large amounts of charred grain. Kimmeridge shale bracelets were also manufactured. The strip lynchets, centred at SY 736839 covering an area of 0.5ha, are considerably ploughed down.

At the Romano-British settlement site (SY 73638398) the features visible include a 5.5m square depression bounded by a bank 0.5m high, a pit 5.0m in diameter and 1.0m, deep, a circular oven (stone lined) and a linear bank 3.0m wide and 0.6m high. The site is under grass, in the middle of an arable field. Surveyed at 1:2500 on MSD. <4>

Full excavation report. The site find and record are in Dorset County Museum. <5>

<1> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 15-DEC-54 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<2> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1968, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1967, 135-9 (Serial). SDO67.

‘Cut III was made across the ‘Celtic’ lynchet N. of ‘E’, between risers 2 and 1 (Fig. 13). Subject to confirmation by proper excavation, this is interpreted as showing the negative lynchet of the former ‘Celtic’ field with its ‘positive’ element pulled down on, and partly mixed with, a concentrated mass of occupational debris. This included late Roman pottery, listed below, scraps of iron including a nail and flat strip with nail holes, animal bones and limpet shells, almost all in dark soil. A number of stone slabs, which could have come from the Purbeck Beds of the ridge 100 yds. S., lay W. of this concentration. None of this had been disturbed by ploughing. Once the date, quantity and variety of finds were established, no attempt was made to investigate the lower levels that exist.‘

<3> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 608 (Monograph). SDO150.

Finds indicating an occupation site associated with Ancient Field Group (11) were made during excavation of strip lynchets in 1967 (SY 736840; Dorset Procs. LXXXIX (1967), 135–9).

<4> Barton, J G, Various, Field Investigators Comments JGB, F2 JGB 14-JUL-80 (Unpublished document). SDO11900.

<5> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey 1:10,000 scale map, 1986 (Map). SDO17396.

(SY 73638398) Settlement

<6> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1987, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1986, 63-80 (Serial). SDO86.

<7> Historic England, Historic England Archive (Index). SDO14738.

Object Number
Object Title
Scope And Content
269408 UNSPECIFIED VIEW OF SITE.
P46833 UNSPECIFIED VIEW OF SITE.
P46834 UNSPECIFIED VIEW OF SITE.
P46835 UNSPECIFIED VIEW OF SITE.
P46836 UNSPECIFIED VIEW OF SITE.
P46837 UNSPECIFIED VIEW OF SITE.
P46839 UNSPECIFIED VIEW OF SITE.
P46840 UNSPECIFIED VIEW OF SITE.
P46841 UNSPECIFIED VIEW OF SITE.
P46842 UNSPECIFIED VIEW OF SITE.
P46843 UNSPECIFIED VIEW OF SITE.
P46844 UNSPECIFIED VIEW OF SITE.
P46845 UNSPECIFIED VIEW OF SITE.
P46846 UNSPECIFIED VIEW OF SITE.
P46847 UNSPECIFIED VIEW OF SITE.
P46848 UNSPECIFIED VIEW OF SITE.
P46849 UNSPECIFIED VIEW OF SITE.
P46850 UNSPECIFIED VIEW OF SITE.
P46851 UNSPECIFIED VIEW OF SITE.
P46852 UNSPECIFIED VIEW OF SITE.
P46853 UNSPECIFIED VIEW OF SITE.
P46854 UNSPECIFIED VIEW OF SITE.
P46855 UNSPECIFIED VIEW OF SITE.
P46856 UNSPECIFIED VIEW OF SITE.
P46857 UNSPECIFIED VIEW OF SITE.
P46858 UNSPECIFIED VIEW OF SITE.
P46859 UNSPECIFIED VIEW OF SITE.
P46860 UNSPECIFIED VIEW OF SITE.
P46861 UNSPECIFIED VIEW OF SITE.

<8> National Record of the Historic Environment, 454394 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Mar 1 2024 4:51PM