Monument record MDO480 - Roman grave, Watton Hill, Conygar, Bridport

A Roman burial was discovered during the digging of the foundations to a house on the south slope of Watton Hill, Conygar, in January 1965 and subsequently excavated. The grave comprised a rectangular stone cist oriented N-S and constructed from eight flat slabs of local calcareous limestone mortared together. A lead coffin was found within the cist and there was some evidence that it was originally contained within a wooden coffin. It contained the extended inhumation of an adult with the head to the south. 29 hobnails were found near the feet. No datable material was recovered.

A Roman burial was discovered during the digging of the foundations to a house on the south slope of Watton Hill, Conygar, in January 1965 and subsequently excavated. The grave comprised a rectangular stone cist 2.26m (7ft 5ins) long, 0.84m (2ft 9ins) wide and 0.6m (2ft) deep, oriented N-S. The cist was constructed from eight flat slabs of local calcareous limestone mortared together, with a stone slab lid. A lead coffin was found within the cist. It was fabricated from a single sheet of lead, with a separate lid. There was some evidence that the lead coffin was originally within a wooden coffin, as a number of coffin nails were found and some wood remains were found on top. Some bird bones were found in the NW corner of the cist outside the coffin.

The coffin contained the extended inhumation of an adult with the head to the south. 29 hobnails were found near the feet. No datable material was recovered. <1>

SY 473 936. During the digging of the foundations of a house on the south slope of Watton Hill, the capstone of a cist was uncovered. Under this a lead coffin was discovered. A skeleton was found inside but due to decay, age or sex could not be determined. Apart from 29 small iron studs and fragments of a skeleton of a bird no other associated finds were made. The burial is thought to be Roman. <1> <2>

<1> Peers, R N R, 1968, 'A Roman burial in a lead coffin at Watton Hill, Conygar, Bridport' Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 169-170 (Article in serial). SDO10216.

<2> Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies, 1956, Journal of Roman Studies 56, 213 (Serial). SDO19108.

<3> National Record of the Historic Environment, 450192 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Dec 22 2022 3:22PM