Monument record MWX299 - Roman building at Wyke Regis, Weymouth

The supposed site of a Roman building observed during construction of Ferry Bridge around 1900, and reported to the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society in 1910, when it was described as a villa. Visits by field investigators revealed little.

ROMAN VILLA AT WYKE REGIS. Captain Acland produced a letter from Mr H C Bowdage, calling attention to the site of a supposed Roman villa at Wyke Regis, discovered ten years ago while he was superintending the construction of the Ferry Bridge. He observed traces on the soil of some building underneath. Nothing, added Captain Acland, was more likely than that there was a Roman villa at Wyke, and his object in mentioning the matter was, if possible, to induce some antiquary of the neighbourhood to undertake excavations to ascertain the truth of the supposition.

Construction of Ferry Bridge area 1900. (Ferry Bridge at SY 66697620). <1>

The water under Ferry Bridge is apparently consistently deep and the reference to traces on the soil would logically appear to apply to the approaches to the water. At SY 66697627 and on the waters edge, is what may be the footings of a wall running east-west and protruding for 2.5 metres east of the modern ramp of the bridge. Amongst the modern bricks at this spot was found a small fragment of what may be a Roman tile, but both this and the ? Wall are too vague to express any firm opinion on them. <2>

<1> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1910, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club, xxix (Serial). SDO21.

<2> Rigg, J, Field Investigators Comments JR, F1 JR 13-AUG-54 (Unpublished document). SWX1255.

<3> National Record of the Historic Environment, 451549 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Nov 30 2022 3:14PM