Monument record MDO7874 - Romano-British settlement, Creech Grange, Steeple

A possible Romano-British settlement excavated within the grounds of Creech Grange. Occupation dates from the 2nd to the 4th century with inconclusive evidence for the presence of a pottery kiln.

SY 911822 Creech Grange. Romano-British occupation debris and some traces of structures have been found at the house, which lies at the N foot of the chalk range.

Much black and red pottery, some figured in Purbeck Papers and perhaps mainly of the 2nd and 3rd centuries, and a Samian sherd, stamped GENITORF, were recovered from black mould in alterations to the kitchen garden in 1858. Quern stones, pieces of shale and waste cores from turned armlets were also found. Amongst a quantity of stones, three stone pillars, 2 1/2 ft high with the lower 6 ins left rough, were unburnt but thought to be supports for a drying floor, and there were two or three perforated fragments of baked clay 1 ins to 1 1/2 ins thick. Evidence for a pottery kiln is inconclusive. A Durotrigian bowl of Brailsford's class 1 is in Dorset County Museum. Coarse ware sherds found in 1958, one from a flanged bowl of the 3rd or 4th century, came from building work in the N side of the kitchen garden at SY 91098236. <1-3>

<1> Royal Archaeological Institute, 1859, The Archaeological Journal XV, 87 (Serial). SDO18951.

<2> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1965, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1964, 116 (Serial). SDO64.

<3> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 608 (Monograph). SDO150.

<4> Papworth, M D J, Trust for Wessex Archaeology, 1983, Isle of Purbeck Survey, IOP 198 (Index). SDO147.

Site lies within the gardens of Creech Grange, N. of a road land land in ley pasture. 7/7/C.

<5> National Record of the Historic Environment, 456986 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Oct 10 2023 12:18PM