EDO4472 - Somerleigh Court, Dorchester

A damaged mosaic, apparently over a hypocaust, was discovered in 1889 in a manhole a few feet west of the porch of Somerleigh Court (1). A portion some 8ft by 5ft was relaid diagonally in the porch with a made-up border. Two panels 2ft square, one with an endless knot pattern, the other with a design of squares and triangles within a circle of two-strand guilloche, were enclosed by a black swastika pattern on a white ground. Other colours used were grey, blue-grey and red. The pavement lay 3 inches above some heating flues, about 4 inches deep and 8 inches wide, and a red plastered wall adjoined it to the east. The above mosaic may have formed part of another portion, apparently with the same design, found 20ft to the west in 1889 in foundation trenches dug 10 feet apart for a small closet in the angle between the main building and the N wing (SY69069050). These portions were discovered prior to the section close to the porch and were left in situ (2).