Monument record MDO621 - Roman settlement, Dymore, Castleton

Evidence of Romano-British occupation south of and adjacent to the Dymore Spring, including finds of Samian ware, Roman coins broadly dating AD 270-337, brooches, burnt areas etc.

In the area centred at ST 63151870 evidence of Romano-British settlement was found in the form of Samian ware (form 18), Roman coins from AD 270-337, brooches, burnt areas and the usual debris of a hut settlement. Lynchets, which overlie the settlement, appear to be of a later date. A coin of Constantine and a Roman republican coin have been found at Clatcombe House (ST 63171908). <1>

Remains of Roman buildings were found by C E Bean on the east side of Sandford Road about 1/4 mile north of a Dymor (ST 63011829). They included fragments of stone floors and part of a rough stone wall. The finds included coins of Tetricus and Victorinus and a 2nd century brooch. <2>

The whole area now lies under pasture, no trace of the building was found and no surface finds were made. Mr Bean could not be contacted. The area east of the Sandford Road centred at ST 63061880 shows only vestigial traces of lyncheting. West of the road centred at ST 62801880 are a series of three well defined Medieval type lynchets 6.0m wide and up to 3.0m high. <3>

<1> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1951, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1950, 77 (Serial). SDO50.

‘5. Dymore-Sandford Orcas Road. ST(31)/63151870; 1924/4292-3. On the saddle of the ground, south of and adjacent to the Dymore Spring, there is again evidence of Romano-British occupation, Samian ware (form 18), Roman coins, A.D.270-337, brooches, burnt areas, and the usual debris of a hut settlement. In this case I think the settlement was anterior to the lynchets, which overly it, although further excavation is needed.’

<2> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England, 1952, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume I (West), 63 (Monograph). SDO97.

'(2) Remains of buildings on the E. side of Sandford Road, about 1/4 m. N. of the house called Dymor and nearly 1 1/2 m. N. N. W. of Sherbourne Abbey, were found by Mr. C. E. Bean in recent years. They included fragments of stone floors and part of a rough stone wall. The finds include coins of Tetricus and Victorinus and a 2nd century brooch'

<3> Barrett, G, Various, Field Investigators Comments GB, F1 GB 17-AUG-77 (Unpublished document). SDO17369.

<3.1> Royal Air Force, 11-APR-1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 3143-4 (Aerial Photograph). SDO17478.

<4> National Record of the Historic Environment, 199348 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jan 10 2022 4:10PM