Find Spot record MDO6232 - Roman pottery, West Parley

Over a hundred fragments of pottery were recovered from spoil heaps when a house was built here in 1928. The pottery was subsequently identified as Romano-British and from kilns in the New Forest.

Fragments of Romano-British pottery were found in October 1928 during construction of a new house in a field called The Down, Dudsbury. The sherds were found by Mr. T. Dayrell-Reed in the earth thrown up from the foundations; in all about 120 fragments were found. On examination they were proved to be of New Forest ware. No further excavation possible. A supposed 4th century coin was found on examination by the British Museum to be a "quadrilla" or quarter-reale of the Republic of Colombia struck at Birmingham in 1830. <1-3>

SZ 08029776. Siting confirmed by Mr Dayrell-Reed. The finds are in Dorset County Museum. The site is built over. <4>

<1> Calkin, J B, 1949, Annotated Record Map Corr. 6 (J B Calkin 1949) (Map). SWX2587.

<2> Bournemouth Natural Science Society, Proceedings of the Bournemouth Natural Science Society, 1928-9 (Serial). SWX955.

76-9

<2.1> Drew, C D, 1929, Recent Additions to the Historical Records of West Parley and Neighbourhood; Proceedings of the Bournemouth Natural Science Society, 76 (Article in serial). SDO12555.

‘In October, 1928, a house was being built on Dudsbury Hill, about 220 yards E.S.E. of the eastern entrance to the Camp. Mr. Dayrell-Reed, of West Parley, happened to notice in the earth thrown up from the foundations a number of sherds of pottery. The owner kindly allowed further search and, in all, about 100 fragments were found. They were submitted to the British Museum and pronounced to be Romano-British. On comparing them with the pottery found by Mr. Heywood Sumner at the New Forest kilns, many of the fragments were found to be of similar make. Unfortunately the site was covered by the house and no excavation was possible; the workmen stated that there was no indication of anything unusual before the surface was disturbed and that no old foundations were found. The occupants of the site, who threw the broken pottery on their rubbish heap, were evidently humble folk, and there is no evidence to show that there was a villa or homestead of a landed proprietor in the neighbourhood.’

<3> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1930, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1929, 237-9 (Serial). SDO33.

<4> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 29-NOV-55 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<5> National Record of the Historic Environment, 457821 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Apr 13 2022 1:18PM