Find Spot record MDO7751 - Roman finds from near Windmill Barn, Langton Matravers

In October 1969 two seperate areas of stone rubble and occupation debris were found in a trench cut by the North Sea Gas Company. Earlier finds on the surface of this area had been made about 1963. No definite walling has been found although much block-stone debris was uncovered. A number of small finds were made including shale fragments, Romano-British black-ware, a quernstone and three limestone blocks.

SZ 00928003. A few Romano-British sherds were found near the south edge of the field below Windmill Barn by P A
Brown a few years before 1963. <1>

A Romano-British site at Windmill Knap, previously suspected from earlier finds, was partly exposed during trenching
for a gas pip-line in 1969. Brown and Helfer investigated the trench and found two seperste areas of stone rubble and occupation (black soil) debris.

(i) The easternmost length of black soil and stone debris was located at SZ 00958005 where a section of wall up to four courses high was visible in the south face of the trench. No sign of occupation in the north face of the trench suggested that the pipe-line approximately coincided with the northern limit of the occupation.

(ii) The second stretch of similar debris eas seen at SZ 00868009 but no definite walling could be discerned although much block-stone debris was present in both faces of the trench.

Finds from the sides of the trench and the excavated spoil included fragments of a shale panel or tray, Romano-British black ware sherds and part of a lower quernstone. In possession of Mr Helfer, Knitson Farm. <2>


<1.2>

<1> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1964, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1963, 105 (Serial). SDO63.

<2> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1970, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1969, 188 (Serial). SDO69.

<3> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 602 (Monograph). SDO150.

<4> Papworth, M D J, Trust for Wessex Archaeology, 1983, Isle of Purbeck Survey, IOP 285 (Index). SDO147.

The site lies in a field reguarly ploughed and in stubble when visited. To the S. Is a line of trees and further S. the ruins of Windmill Barn and Windmill Knap, in permanent pasture. OS SZ08SW55. 7/7/D

<5> National Record of the Historic Environment, 457659 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Apr 16 2023 9:00AM