Monument record MDO2439 - Roman building in field called Chesils, Shipton Gorge

Surface finds of pottery and a coin indicate the site of a Late Iron Age settlement. A Roman building, possibly a villa, has been exposed by ploughing.

Finds in Bridport Museum from a field in Shipton Gorge called "Chisels" or "Chisel Town": coins of 1st half of 4th century, incl. Constantine I, Helena, Theodora & Constans, 2 Constantinopolis, 1 worn, possibly Tetricus, and one Durotrigan stater: also flint scrapers and: `a bronze ring, 1/2" in diameter & fashioned to resemble a one-ply cord or rope'. <1>

Many Roman coins & stones found in "Chisels" & one coin from "Downs", the next field to the east. In ploughing "Chisels" "a few years ago" the farmer [J. Willy, of Manor Farm, NOT a friend of the Bartletts] thought he found remains of a building, L-shaped according to H.Bartlett, E-shaped according to S.Bartlett.
Site visited 7.5.52. Field under plough. There is a considerable scatter of pottery, including Samian, New Forest & coarse R-B, animal bones & oyster shells, especially at "A" SY 48439190 & "B" SY 48349192. At "A" there is a concentration of limestone fragments suggesting foundations near the surface. Only one tile fragment found. <2>

R.B.potsherds, flint implements & a piece of [Kimmeridge coal ?] money from Chisels, found at Shipton Gorge, now in the Museum of the Bridport Lit & Scientific Insitute 21.4.24. [Entry transferred from margin of Dorset 38 SE] <3>

The pottery evidence suggests a Durotrigian occupation site, which may have been in use before the Roman conquest, with substantial stone and timber buildings, until at least the late C4th. The pottery is concentrated at SY 4843 9190 and SY 4834 9192 <4>.

[Area centred: SY 48529185] Undated scrapers & waste flakes, pottery listed as Roman, and a piece of Kimmeridge `coal money' with a square hole in the centre, were seen in the Bridport Museum. The coins were not seen. The site of these finds - on a hilltop & on land sloping to the SE - was under stubble & grass & no finds were made, other than unidentified building debris. <5>

"I have in my possession three Roman coins and one Iron Age silver coin, all found some years ago in the field called Chesils, near Bonscombe Hill. The Iron Age coin was dated by the authorities at Dorchester County Museum to circa 50 B.C." <6.1> These coins were seen at Higher Sturthill. The Iron Age coin is of silver and uninscribed; it has been struck so that the coin is saucer shaped. The Roman coins are in poor condition; two are very small, the other is the size of a shilling. These bronzes appear to be of Republican type. <6>

Mr.W. Butcher has collected miscellaneous Roman sherds, a piece of flue-tile and a stone weight from the Chisels field. An Iron Age `Wessex' type quernstone was also found on the site. <7>

DO 28 Listed as the possible site of a Roman villa.<10>

<1> Boswell-Stone, 1893, Prehistoric and Roman Remains in West Dorset, 13-14 (Monograph). SWX1258.

<2> Rivet, A L F, 1952, Field Investigators Comments ALFR, F1 ALFR 12-MAY-1952 (Unpublished document). SWX1221.

<2.1> Bartlett, H J and S, Oral: H J and S Bartlett, Peas Hill (next door to New Inn), Shipton Gorge, 6.5.52 (Verbal communication). SDO19082.

<3> Crawford, O G S, Annotated record map 6 inch (Map). SWX7265.

<4> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1952, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1951, 101-102 (Serial). SDO51.

<5> Swatridge, G C, Various, Field Investigators Comments GCS, F2 GCS 22-SEP-1954 (Unpublished document). SWX1169.

<6> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F3 NVQ 06-MAY-55 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<6.1> Butcher, Mr W, Oral: Mr W Butcher, Higher Sturthill, Shipton Gorge, 5.5.55 (Verbal communication). SDO19083.

<7> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1957, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1956, 87 (Serial). SDO56.

<8> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1959, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1957, 114-115 (Serial). SDO57.

<9> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1982, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1980, 104 (Serial). SDO80.

<10> Scott, E, 1993, A Gazetteer of Roman villas in Britain, 54 (Bibliographic reference). SWX1795.

<11> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, Externally held archive: RCH01/088 RCHME Inventory: Dorset I (West) and Revision (Unpublished document). SDO17367.

<12> National Record of the Historic Environment, 450107 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Dec 19 2022 12:28PM