Monument record MWX2927 - Post-Roman cemetery at Manor Farm, Portesham

Watching brief revealed small cemetery and associated features. A large pit contained the remains of at least 4 individuals. (Other burials may have been within the pit, but were not excavated as the building works were not projected to impact upon them)

Multiple burials within pit. Apparently of Christian origin - being of E-W alignment, heads to west. Some uncertainty over dating of these burials, but thought most likely to be of late Roman / early post-Roman date. Five further burials were observed as extended inhumations, laid out E-W in more clearly defined grave cuts. Only one of three burials was associated with an object; a probable iron saw. A single infant burial was also observed, though not excavated. All finds derived from the grave backfill of this group were of Romano-British date. However, the excavators felt that these were all secondary contexts. <1-4>

Excavations at Manor Farm located an inhumation cemetery comprising nine inhumations. Eight of the inhumations were excavated and were found to be supine extended skeletons orientated approximately west-east. Four lay within single graves, the others were situated within a pit. Radio-carbon dating suggests a seventh-eighth century date for the cemetery. <5>

<1> Valentin, J, 2001, Archaeological Investigations at Manor Farm, Portesham, Dorset (NGR SY60258596). Assessment Report on the Results of the Excavations with Proposals for Further Analysis, Publication and Deposition of Archive (Unpublished document). SDO115.

<2> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 2001, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 2000, 163 (Serial). SDO11605.

<3> Valentin, J, 2003, Manor Farm, Portesham, Dorset. Excavations on a Multi-Period Religious and Settlement Site. (Unpublished document). SWX8472.

<4> AC Archaeology, 2003, Manor Farm, Portesham, Dorset. Excavations on a Multi-period Religious and settlement site. REVISED VERSION June 2003 (Unpublished document). SWX8478.

<5> Cherryson, A K, 2006, Gazetteer of Early Medieval Sites (Unpublished document). SDO17464.

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1457447 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 22 2024 2:38PM