Monument record MDO23155 - Rubbish pit, Church House, Wimborne Minster

One of three post-medieval pits partly excavated during digging of foundations for an extension. The pit contained fragments of animal bone, oyster shells, pottery, and the stems of clay tobacco pipes.

All three pits (excavated features 003, 005 and 009) were bowl-shaped and about 0.8m deep, but of uncertain diameter. The pits were filled with humic sands and lenses of yellow clay, with occasional fragments of other material such as animal bone and pottery. The excavators interpreted the pits as having been dug for the disposal of refuse with a high organic content.

One pit (Feature 003) cut the other two pits, and contained two pieces of clay tobacco pipe stem, which was dated 17th to 19th century. The filling of this pit (Feature 009) contained fragments of animal bone, pottery and oyster shell. The pottery in all three pits fell into a fairly restricted date range of late 17th to early 18th century. (1)

<1> Jenkins V, 1991, Church House, Wimborne Minster, Dorset. Archaeological Excavation. (Unpublished document). SDO204.

<2> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1992, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1991, 182-183 (Serial). SDO91.

Record last edited

Dec 18 2009 3:34AM