Monument record MDO7731 - Roman shale working site at Swalland Farm, Kimmeridge

Kimmeridge 'Coal money' has been recorded from Rope Lake Stream near Swalland Farm. <1>

There is no stream in the vicinity of Swalland Farm and no area known as Rope Lake Stream. Local inhabitants knew nothing of Kimmeridge Coal Money having been found near Swalland Farm. There were no surface finds. <2>

An abundance of shale cores found at Rope Lake in approximately 1855. SY 92547798 - A few shale cores and several rough-outs (Iron Age) found at Rope Lake in approximately 1954. <3>

<1> Calkin, J B, Annotated Record Map Corr. 6, 1949 (Map). SWX8351.

<2> Rigg, J, Field Investigators Comments JR, F1 JR 21-JUL-52 (Unpublished document). SWX1255.

<3> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1955, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1953, 68-71 (Serial). SDO53.

<4> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1964, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1963, 99 (Serial). SDO63.

<4.1> Austen, J H, 1856, Purbeck Papers (Monograph). SWX8252.

<4.2> J C Mansel-Pleydell, 1892, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club, 183 (Article in serial). SDO20179.

<6> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 601-2 (Monograph). SDO150.

'(18) Swalland Farm (SY 97 NW). Occupation Debris associated with shale armlet industries, probably lron Age and Roman, comes from 400 yds. S.W. of the farmhouse (92547798).

The site, about 650 yds. N.E. of Clavell's Hard where the 'blackstone' band of the Kimmeridge shale outcrops at the base of the cliff, yields shale waste from a hand-cut armlet industry probably of the Iron Age, and from a turned armlet industry of the Roman period. A few sherds, perhaps Iron Age 'A' and Romano-British, come from 150 yds. W.N.W. (92427804). (Dorset Procs. XIII (1892), 183; LXXV (1953), 69; LXXXV (1963), 99.)'

<7> Papworth, M D J, Trust for Wessex Archaeology, 1983, Isle of Purbeck Survey, IOP 258 (Index). SDO147.

‘Lies in a regularly ploughed field. 7/7/D.’

<8> National Record of the Historic Environment, 456535 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Oct 11 2023 6:47PM