Monument record MDO2488 - Probable Roman milestone, Stinsford Cross

An uninscribed possible Roman milestone now located on the west side of the Stinsford roundabout on the Dorchester By-pass. It has been moved from its original location on at least two occasions.

An uninscribed possible Roman milestone now located on the west side of the Stinsford roundabout on the Dorchester By-pass. This stone was first described by Alfred Pope who said that it was known locally as the "Bull-baiting stone". <1>

It is of grey fossiliferous limestone and is roughly worked without any obvious toolmarks. It tapers slightly towards the top and has an ovoid cross-section. <2>

Milestone (70899130), probably Roman, called `Stinsford Cross', stands on the S side of the Roman road from Dorchester to Badbury Rings and one Roman mile from the presumed site of the E gate of Dorchester. The monument is of limestone and measure 5 ft 10 ins in length and 14 ins to 15 ins in diameter,; it has a groove 2 ins wide and 1 in deep running round half its girth, 2 ft 7 ins from the top. The only other mark is an OS bench-mark. The stone was moved a short distance c 1866 and again in 1957, and it now stands some 3 ft above the level of the modern road. <4>

SY 70899130. A roughly cylindrical uninscribed Roman milestone, 180 cm above ground level by 38 cm diameter was first noted by Pope (a). It tapers slightly at the top and has signs of wear from a chain. This has led to the belief that it was the stone known locally as the "bull-baiting stone". <5>

The stone was moved again into its present position after the construction of the Dorchester By-pass in 1987. <6>

No change: siting confirmed. See ground photograph. No confirmation of the name 'Stinsford Cross' could be obtained: authority 2a mentions the stone 'at Stinsford Cross' evidently referring to the road junctions. Moved by Dorset CC for the new Dorchester bypass, but sited in the same area. G Keene, Dorset SMR doubts that it is a Roman boundary stone? <7>

Position after 1957 move SY 7089 9130
Position after 1989 move during construction of Dorchester by-pass SY 7083 9127

<1> Pope, A, 1906, Old Stone Crosses of Dorset, 117 (Bibliographic reference). SWX1408.

<2> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1959, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1957, 110-112 (Serial). SDO57.

<3> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1963 (Map). SWX1540.

(SY 70899130) Stone (NAT)

<4> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 1, 257 (Monograph). SDO146.

'(13) Milestone (70899130), probably Roman, called 'Stinsford Cross', stands on the S. side of the Roman road from Dorchester to Badbury Rings and one Roman mile from the presumed site of the E. gate of Dorchester. The monument is of limestone and measures 5 ft. 10 ins. in length and 14 ins. to 15 ins. in diameter; it has a groove 2 ins. wide and 1 in. deep running round half its girth, 2 ft. 7 ins. from the top. The only other mark is an O.S. bench-mark. The stone was moved a short distance c. 1866 and again in 1957, and it now stands some 3 ft. above the level of the modern road. (Dorset Procs., LXXIX (1957), 110–2 and Pl. 1a; see also Dorset II, 539).'

<5> Sedgley, J P, 1975, The Roman milestones of Britain: their petrography and probable origin (Monograph). SDO9380.

<6> Smith, R J C et al, 1997, Excavations along the Route of the Dorchester By-pass, Dorset, 1986-8, 17 (Monograph). SDO9379.

<7> Barton, J G, Various, Field Investigators Comments JGB, F1 JGB 10-NOV-80 (Unpublished document). SDO11900.

<8> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB86/05021 (Index). SDO14738.

PROBABLE ROMAN MILESTONE UNMARKED APART FROM A GROOVE RUNNING HALFWAY AROUND ITS GIRTH. MAY ALSO BE KNOWN AS "STINSFORD CROSS". Donor: UNKNOWNCopyright: UNKNOWN

<9> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB86/05022 (Index). SDO14738.

PROBABLE ROMAN MILESTONE UNMARKED APART FROM A GROOVE RUNNING HALFWAY AROUND ITS GIRTH. Donor: UNKNOWNCopyright: UNKNOWN

<10> Historic England, Historic England Archive, F53/8/7 (Index). SDO14738.

PROBABLE ROMAN MILESTONE ABOUT A MILE OUTSIDE DORCHESTER VIEW WEST

<11> National Record of the Historic Environment, 454983 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jul 26 2024 7:18PM