Monument record MDO41993 - Romano-British settlement, Goathill

In 1958 C E Bean noticed a piece of a Samian ware cup in spoil from a trunk main trench dug by the Southern Gas Board. On investigation, he saw a spread of Roman pottery and other material in the field to the south. Bean returned and carried out a small excavation, which revealed a burnt floor on which was a considerable amount of Samian pottery, most of mid-2nd century date, as well as coarse pottery. Other finds included Greenstone querns, fragments of glass, and roofing tiles of local stone. Similar deposits were found to the north in Milborne Port parish, and Bean felt that the main part of the settlement was here.

ST 67041783. A burnt dirt floor on which there was a considerable amount of broken Samian pottery, found south of the road by C E Bean. A 3rd century coin was found as well as some coarse pottery, fragments of glass, and greenstone querns. Although local roofing slate fragments were found, no evidence of a dwelling was uncovered. Lower layers of the excavation trenches produced bead rim counter-sunk handled sherds and other Durotrigian pottery. North of the road further Samian ware and Iron Age C pottery was discovered. <1>

The fields either side of the track are under pasture. No surface finds were made. The present farm owner, at Goat Hill Farm, could offer no information. <2>

DO 14 Listed as the possible site of a Roman villa. <3>

<1> Bean, C E, 1959, Goathill; Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society (Article in serial). SDO16500.

<2> Phillips, A S, Various, Field Investigators Comments ASP, F1 ASP 17-NOV-77 (Unpublished document). SWX3817.

<3> Scott, E, 1993, A Gazetteer of Roman villas in Britain (Bibliographic reference). SWX1795.

<4> National Record of the Historic Environment, 199292 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Dec 21 2021 3:52PM