Monument record MDO46256 - Prehistoric finds from Springs, Portesham

'Occupation debris' from Neolithic to Romano British was found about 1901 when digging foundation trenches for a new house west of St Peter's Church, Portesham. The site lies on a shelf among Celtic fields. Finds comprised 'a chert saw, iron rod or pin and implements of bone, flint, horn and bronze' plus pottery of 'every corresponding period'.

In view of the sad loss we have all sustained by the death of our much respected and talented friend, Dr. Colley March, I must refer at rather greater length to his last gift to the Museum. Within a very few days of his death he sent me a collection of bone, flint, and bronze objects, and also broken pottery, which he himself found near Portesham, and which he considered a proof that the site had been occupied by succeeding races through many centuries. I cannot do better than give, in his own words, the notes that accompanied his gift, so that they may be recorded in the Proceedings.
"At a distance of exactly six furlongs due west of St. Peter's Church, Portesham, there is a deep valley hollowed by running water called 'Springs ; ' it is marked as it descends by a number of 'Vents,' through which this water, as it gradually became subterranean, used to escape. But the valley now is dry until its lower part is reached, where the water, unable to penetrate a bed of clay, is turned out, and flows on to the fleet.
In former days, when streams flowed from the Vents, this valley was a good place for sheep-folds and cattle pens, and, under a favourable light, there can be seen on its sloping sides, the lines of ancient enclosures.
To the west of this valley there is a wide shelf of meadow land, 350ft. above the sea, protected from the North by the slope which rises to a height of 600ft.
On this charming spot, about 15 years ago, a gamekeeper's house was built, and when the preliminary trenches 1 and a half feet. deep were made, I carefully inspected them and the excavated earth. I discovered evidence that this very site had been selected for a dwelling-place all through the ages, from early neolithic to late Romano-British times. Chert, flint, and perhaps good Portland stone chert from the Chesil-bank - bone, bronze, and iron - had all been used in the making of implements now indeed broken, while potsherds abound of every corresponding period. Many of the flakes and several of the pieces of bone show signs of use.
A bone implement, a saw of chert, an iron rod or pin (that I have varnished to check the corrosion of rust), and four small implements respectively of bone, flint, horn and bronze (but all of them broken), I have fastened to a card." The whole collection is now presented to the Museum. <1>

Approx SY 590859 <3>. "Occupation debris...from early neolithic to late Romano British" was found by Colley March about 1901 on the west side of a valley" exactly six furlongs due west of St Peter's Church Portesham". The site at about 350ft above sea level, was on a shelf among 'Celtic' fields and the remains were found when digging foundation trenches 1 1/2 ft. deep for a gamekeepers house. They comprised a chert saw, iron rod or pin and implements of bone, flint, horn and bronze, plus "pottery sherds of every corresponding period". Finds in Dorset County Museum. (A building at SY 59098587 on OS 6" 1967, but not on OS 25" 1902 may be the one referred to by Colley March). <1-3>

<1> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1904, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club for 1903, xlv (Serial). SDO16.

<2> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1916, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club for 1916, 39-40 (Serial). SDO25.

<3> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 604 (Monograph). SDO150.

'(64) Portesham Withy Bed (SY 58 NE). Occupation Debris was found c. 1901 at about 350 ft. above sea level 'exactly six furlongs due west of St. Peter's Church' (approx. 590859). The site, near the junction of Upper Greensand and Lower Chalk, occupied a shelf in the W. slope of a re-entrant valley, among 'Celtic' fields (see Ancient Field Group (4)). The remains, from foundations 1½ ft. deep for a gamekeeper's house, included flint and chert flakes and tools, and pottery, thought prehistoric to late Roman (Dorset Procs. XXXVII (1916), xxxix-xl; XXIV (1903), xlv).'

<4> National Record of the Historic Environment, 450417 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

May 4 2023 10:05AM