Monument record MDO28171 - Roman road remains?, 230-228 (now 126-8) Blandford Road, Hamworthy, Poole

H P Smith recorded possible Roman road gravels beneath 228-230 (now renumbered 126-128) Blandford Road, which he suggested was part of a branch of the Hamworthy-Badbury Rings Roman road that ran to the south side of the Hamworthy peninsula. Doubt on this identification has been cast by later investigation.

H P Smith, describing a postulated branch of the Hamworthy to Badbury Roman road which ran directly to the south side of the Hamworthy peninsula that he labelled MNO, states "The last point to which I have been able to trace the road is where it passes under two houses, numbered 230 and 228 respectively, on the north side of Blandford Road." (1)

Keith Jarvis has suggested that what Smith observed was not the Roman road since the natural bedrock of the area is sand and gravel. There is no definite evidence for this part of the road and suggests the branch which H P Smith labelled MNO may not actually exist. (2)

<1> Smith, H P, 1932, The Hamworthy Section of the Branch Roman Road from Badbury Rings to Poole Harbour, 13 (Article in serial). SWX3198.

<2> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1983, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1982, 181-182 (Serial). SDO82.

Record last edited

Jan 16 2013 9:51AM