Find Spot record MDO8402 - Roman finds, Worth Matravers

Romano-British remains were found by P A Brown in 1952, at SY 98717952, in the SW corner of a quarry on the north side of Primrose Hill. The finds included two fragments of Samian, a coarse ware jar, part of a countersunk handle. an iron nail and a bronze object (split pin or tweezers). Brown suggests that the occupation may have been connected with the quarrying of marble to the north of the site, but there is no direct evidence. <1>

(SY 98717952) 1st century RB Pottery found here in 1952. Probably the site of Roman Purbeck Marble Quarry (a). The area is pitted with surface quarry workings in which there were no finds. <2>

<1> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1953, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1952, 93 (Serial). SDO52.

‘A Romano-British site at Primrose Hill, Haycrafts Lane, Worth Matravers; SY(30)/98717952. Mr. P. A. Brown informs me of his discovery of Romano-British remains at the S.W. corner of a quarry on the north side of Primrose Hill, east of Haycrafts or Downshay Lane. Pottery was found at a depth of one foot in the quarry face but trial holes in a southerly direction proved unproductive. The finds included two fragments of Samian, most of a small coarse ware jar 4 ins. high, in fragments, a piece of a countersunk handle, an iron nail and bronze object (split pin or tweezers).
Mr. Brown suggests that the occupation may have been connected with quarrying of Purbeck marble to the north of the site, but there is no direct evidence. The site is about half a mile N.E. of the Gallows Gore (Worth Matravers) Early Iron Age and Roman sites.’

<2> Rigg, J, Field Investigators Comments JR, F1 JR 22-JUL-52 (Unpublished document). SWX1255.

<2.1> Calkin, J B, Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments: J B Calkin, Virginia House, Langton Matravers (Verbal communication). SWX3444.

<3> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 620 (Monograph). SDO150.

<4> Papworth, M D J, Trust for Wessex Archaeology, 1983, Isle of Purbeck Survey, IOP 682 (Index). SDO147.

‘Site lies in a field quarried in the past and now in ley pasture. OS SY97NE 4. 7/7/D.’

<5> National Record of the Historic Environment, 456374 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jan 27 2025 11:32AM