Monument record MDO7059 - Roman occupation and industrial activity at Nutcrack Lane, Stoborough, Arne

Roman occupation debris and finds suggesting industrial activity were found on the north side of Nutcrack Lane in 1952. Further work showed that this spread of material extended into adjacent fields to the south and west. A find of note, now in the Dorset County Museum, was a clay-lined vat or basin; it has been suggested that this was for puddling clay, though no evidence of pottery manufacture has been found in the vicinity. Test pits further west near Stoborough village revealed what were described as ash deposits, and in 1962 a borehole further south produced Romano-British pottery.

Occupation debris, and a clay-lined vat or basin, suggesting industrial activity throughout the Roman period, were found in 1952 on the N. side of Nutcrack Lane (SY 92638638), and subsequently in fields to S and W. The 'vat' (in D.C.M) roughly bell-shaped and about 3ft wide internallyand 2ft deep, has a lining some 4ins or 5 ins thick of puddled chalk faced with fire hardened clay a small eccentric sump-hole at bottom and remains of five vertical holes about 4ins deep in the flattened rim. The functions of a tongue of chalk about 9ins wide projecting obliquely from below the rim on the W. for some 3 1/2ft., and of two groups of stake holes, flanking the 'vat' in the underlying soil at a depth of 2ft 8ins., are obscure. The 'vat' was constructed in a deposit of ash and burnt earth some 4ft to 5ft thick containing native Durotrigian and local romanized coarse pottery, much of it oxidized not necessarily later than the early 2nd century AD. Similar pottery in the ashy soil inside the 'vat', probably a deliberate filling, may have come from this deposit. It has been suggested that it was a puddling hole for preparing potter's clay. Neither kiln nor undoubted wasters have, however, been found. In the W half of the field (925863), S. of the lane, ploughing has revealed widespread pottery, some of the late 4th century. Test pits in paddocks further W. adjoining Storborough village revealed what were said to be ash deposits, with pottery from Iron Age 'B' and 'C' to 4th-century Romano-British (92488633, 92468630, 92498630, 92498629, 92388627, 92508624). Further S (92658614) beyond a brook, a borehole for clay revealed Romano-British pottery in 1962. (Dorset Procs LXXIV (1952), 95-6; LXXVI (1954), 81-2). Two vessels (D.C.M. 1957. 24. 2-3), said to come from the 'vat' are, not earlier than c. 200. AD. <5>

Listed by Swan. <7>

<1> Farrar, R A H, 1953, Archaeological Fieldwork in Dorset 1952; Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 95-96 (Article in serial). SWX9258.

<2> Farrar, R A H, 1956, The Romano-British sites at Stoborough and Redcliffe Farm near Wareham; Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society (Article in serial). SWX7806.

<3> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1956, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1954, 81-82 (Serial). SDO54.

<4> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1969 (Map). SWX1540.

(SY 92628639) ROMANO-BRITISH POTTERY KILN (R) (Site of)

<5> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 592-3 (Monograph). SDO150.

‘(50) STOBOROUGH (SY 98 NW). Occupation Debris, and a claylined vat or basin (Fig.), suggesting industrial activity throughout the Roman period, were found in 1952 on the N. side of Nutcrack Lane (92638638), and subsequently in fields to S. and W.
The 'vat' (in D.C.M.), roughly bell-shaped and about 3 ft. wide internally and 2 ft. deep, has a lining some 4 ins. or 5 ins. thick of puddled chalk faced with fire-hardened clay, a small eccentric sump-hole at bottom and remains of five vertical holes about 4 ins. deep in the flattened rim. The functions of a tongue of chalk about 9 ins. wide projecting obliquely from below the rim on the W. for some 3½ ft., and of two groups of stake-holes flanking the 'vat' in the underlying soil at a depth of 2 ft. 8 ins., are obscure. The 'vat' was constructed in a deposit of ash and burnt earth some 4 ft. to 5 ft. thick containing native Durotrigian and local romanized coarse pottery, much of it oxidized, not necessarily later than the early 2nd century A.D. Similar pottery in the ashy soil inside the 'vat', probably a deliberate filling, may have come from this deposit. (fn. 1) It has been suggested that it was a puddling-hole for preparing potter's clay. Neither kiln nor undoubted wasters have, however, been found.
In the W. half of the field (925863), S. of the lane, ploughing has revealed widespread pottery, some of the late 4th century. Test pits in paddocks further W. adjoining Stoborough village revealed what were said to be ash deposits, with pottery from Iron Age 'B' and 'C' to 4th-century Romano-British (92488633, 92468630, 92498630, 92498629, 92388627, 92508624). Further S. (92658614), beyond a brook, a borehole for clay revealed Romano-British pottery in 1962. (Dorset Procs. LXXIV (1952), 95–6; LXXVI (1954), 81–2.).’

<6> Farrar, R A H, 1973, The Techniques and Sources of Romano-British Black-Burnished Ware (Article in monograph). SDO16399.

<7> Swan V G, 1984, The Pottery Kilns of Roman Britain, 261 (Monograph). SWX2878.

<8> Papworth, M D J, Trust for Wessex Archaeology, 1983, Isle of Purbeck Survey, IOP 90 (Index). SDO147.

‘Fields regularly ploughed and in ley pasture. Crossed by hedges. 7/7/C’

<9> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, Externally held archive: RCH01/093 RCHME Inventory: Dorset II (South-East) (Unpublished document). SDO17434.

<10> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB90/00703, 00704, 00707, 00708, and 00709 (Index). SDO14738.

ROMAN POT

<11> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB90/00705 (Index). SDO14738.

UNIDENTIFIED FIND

<12> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB90/00706 (Index). SDO14738.

FLINT ARTEFACTS

<13> National Record of the Historic Environment, 456686 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

May 31 2023 4:24PM