Monument record MDO18410 - Poundbury Main Late Roman Cemetery

The main Late Roman cemetery was discovered within the Late Roman enclosures 2 and 3, during the 1966-1979 excavations at Poundbury, Dorchester and the 1986 observations on the Poundbury Pipe-line by Wessex Archaeology. A total of 1114 graves were identified as belonging to this cemetery, of which 1028 were excavated. These were generally set in relatively regular rows with little intercutting of graves. There was some suggestion that the earliest burials were to the east, with a gradual expansion westwards. Within the area of the cemetery, seven rectangular mausolea with mortared stone footings were discovered. The mausolea tended to be in more open area and may represent private plots. The standard form of burial rite was that of single extended inhumations in rectangular, vertical sided, flat-bottomed graves aligned W-E. Burial in wooden coffins was the norm, some of which had decorative/functional iron brackets or other iron fittings, a small number had lead linings with gypsum or plaster fills. Several graves had stone linings or cists. Four stone coffins were found, all from within mausolea. Grave goods were not common, but did occur scattered across the whole site. Generally the distribution of the graves was in more or less regular rows with very little accidental inter-cutting of graves. The cemetery appears to have been used from the late 3rd to the late 4th centuries AD.

Found during the excavations directed by Christopher Sparey Green, for the Dorchester Excavation Committee, between 1966 and 1979 during development of the Grove Trading Estate on the eastern slopes of Poundbury Camp, Dorchester (1). The numbers in square brackets below refer to the context and feature numbers used in the published report and archive (1)(2). The main Late Roman cemetery was established within the Late Roman enclosures 2 and 3. A total of 1114 graves were identified as belonging to this cemetery, of which 1028 were excavated. The standard form of burial rite was that of single extended inhumations in rectangular, vertical sided, flat-bottomed graves aligned W-E. Graves containing an adult skeleton were on average 2.1m long and 0.7m wide and allowed only the minimum of free space around the coffin and/or body. Burial in wooden coffins was the norm, some of which had decorative/functional iron brackets or other iron fittings. There were also a few multiple burials present in the cemetery, presumably where a family member has been inserted into an occupied grave at a later date. Grave goods were not common, but did occur scattered across the whole site. Generally the distribution of the graves was in more-or-less regular rows with very little accidental inter-cutting of graves. The impression is of a saturation use of a limited area. The eastern half of the cemetery showed stricter adherence to a row pattern; graves were placed as close together as possible while still avoiding inter-cutting. Space was only allowed for access between rows where a gap of between 0.3m and 0.9m was normal. Minor variations suggest that rows were not set out from the start but were the result of gradual extension as and when necessary. The rows in enclosure 2 (to the east) are more regular to those in enclosure 3 suggesting that the cemetery started to the west in enclosure 3 and only later did the need to bury closely in ordered rows due to limited space arise. Within the area of the cemetery, seven mausolea were discovered (R1-R4, R7-R10). These were rectangular structures with mortared stone footings, some of which had plastered walls and stone tiled roofs. The mausolea tended to be in more open area and may represent private plots. About 90% of the graves contained evidence for wooden coffins. Some graves had no surviving evidence for any form of coffin. Sixty-nine graves (about 7%) had some form of large stone rubble, often reused stone roof tile, positioned around the body to form a stone lining or cist. Within this group the number of women outnumber men by three to one. Lead linings to wooden coffins were found in 24 graves, all containing fills of plaster or gypsum. Four of the lead linings were found within mausolea. The distribution of the lead linings suggests, that this burial rite was most popular in the early stages of the cemetery’s life in the first part of the 4th century. Ham stone coffins were found in four graves, all within mausolea, during the main seasons of excavation, although others have been found in the area from the 19th century onwards. In total, evidence has been collected for seven coffins of Ham stone, one of Portland stone and one of Greensand from the main late Roman cemetery area. Where the skeletons could be identified, they were found to be adults; four women and two men. All were aligned W-E. The posture of the skeletons was overwhelmingly uniform, the majority being found in the supine position with head to the west, legs extended and arms by the side or folded across the lower abdomen. Only one example of prone burial was found - this occurred as a secondary burial with head to the east above a standard burial. Slight variations in posture may have been due to the bodies slipping within the coffins when lowered into the graves. Only 43 graves (4%) in the main cemetery were accompanied by grave goods, 23 of adult women, 12 adult men, five children below the age of 12 and three of unknown age or sex. The most numerous class of grave good, copper alloy coins was evenly distributed between men and women and accounts for ten of the males. The other classes of grave good, mainly bone and copper alloy personal ornaments are therefore predominantly the accompaniments of women. The dating of the cemetery is heavily reliant on grave goods, which occur in only a limited number of graves. A dozen objects datable to the 4th century were recovered and copper alloy coins, mostly datable to the first and third quarters of the 4th century, were found in 20 graves. In simple terms the cemetery appears to have been used over a span of about 75 years from the late 3rd to the late 4th centuries. There is some evidence from coin distributions that the cemetery may have started in the east and progressed west over time as the need arose. Christopher Sparey Green has suggested that the uncoffined or stone cist inhumations represented a final phase of the late Roman cemetery contemporary with the overlying 5th-7th century settlement. Elsewhere stone-lined graves are a feature of the post-Roman period but statistical examination of the data suggests that at Poundbury these burials form part of the main late Roman phase of burial. This is not conclusive and the putatively late burials did show a slightly higher proportion of grave goods. Unforturnately, the supposedly latest part of the cemetery to the north west remains unexcavated. <1-2> (SY68479109). Approximate position of burial 3 in Ham Hill stone coffin 1940. <3> Coffins of Ham Hill stone found near the northeast corner of Poundbury. <4> SY68449120). A 4th century Romano-British inhumation with head to the west in a shallow grave in the inner ditch of Poundbury Camp. Nails indicated a wooden coffin. Excavated by KM Richardson in 1939. <7> Recent work in the field below the eastern rampart has brought to light other coffins of both Ham Hill and Portland stone. The area was undoubtedly the site of Roman cemetery. <7> Three stone coffins from Poundbury acquired by Dorchester Museum. <8> About SY685911. A bronze hanging bowl and model axe-head were found in 1943 in a wartime trench. Probably a burial deposit from the Roman cemetery. Dorchester Museum No. 1947 16 1-2. <9> In 1915, during the construction of a road 150 yards northeast of the railway cutting, between the RHA barracks and Poundbury and Ham Hill, a stone coffin was found. Another stone coffin and a lead coffin were found close by. The lead coffin was destroyed and the stone coffins left in situ. When the railway cutting was made in 1850-6, Roman pottery, an iron sword, a spur and a stone coffin were found. <5> During the occupation of the eastern slope of the camp by German Prisoners Of War many traces of ancient burials were brought to light. Stone and lead coffins were left in situ baut a bronze wire torc on the neck bone of a child was acquired by Dorchester Museum. <6> The site is partly grass covered and partly occupied by a military camp. Three Roman stone coffins, and ornaments from a wooden coffin which was inside one of them, were seen in the Dorset County Museum. (10) Rescue excavations have taken place during the last 6-7 years in areas of the cemetery threatened by building work. Over 700 bodies of the Roman period have been uncovered, some in coffins of lead or Ham Hill stone, and traces of wooden coffins have been found. Evidence of mausolea have been recovered, including one decorated with wall paintings. <10-14> Final excavations were completed in January 1980, when work continued on the Iron Age and Roman settlement, also the northern edge of both the Roman cemetery and post-Roman settlement, and completed on `site E' (see plan). Two new areas, `F' and `G' revealed the east side of an Iron Age enclosure with later occupation and burials. Finds included large quantities of Durotrigian pottery etc. <14> In 1973, excavations were concentrated in the centre of the main cemetery, site `E', and almost 500 graves were found, 20 being excavated, of which ten were special burials including 7 in lead-lined coffins, one being packed in gypsum plaster. Finds included 5 unworn coins, bronze bracelets etc. It would appear that the site had been an open hillside in the 3rd century, with two groups of buildings at the foot of the slope on the east. During the late 3rd and early 4th centuries, two very dissimiliar cemeteries evolved beside the buildings; one group, outside the northerly building, with irregularly sited cremations and inhumations with grave goods. The other group, in the courtyard of the southern building, was a Christian-type cemetery with orientated inhumations without grave goods. It soon expanded and then encroached upon the north and west wings of the house which was demolished in the 4th century. The cemetery eventually covered an area of 0.5 acre with 5 groups of special burials consisting mainly of lead-lined coffins placed at reguar intervals. The first two mausolea were erected over groups of such coffins circa 326-50. In the later 4th century the cemetery expanded into a new and larger enclosure of between 1-2 acres with further special burials enclosed in mausolea. There would appear to be a further extension to the south of this area and extending along the southern edge of the hillfort (SY 69 SE 63). Uncoffined inhumations in shallow graves throughout the cemetery were perhaps of the late 5th century, and represent the final use as a burial ground. A total of 1117 burials were excavated in the main cemetery. Two parallel ditches, 10 metres apart, possibly a droveway, formed the northern boundary, while cemetery `2b' formed the eastern boundary. The post-Roman settlement may have been of two main phases separated by southwest-northeast ditches. One comprised rectangular structures of typical Roman layout, the other of a more haphazard layout. Radio-carbon dates from corn-driers on the site gave dates of 360+/- 80, and 500+/- 100. NRHE PARTIAL FARRAR 97-100 PDNHAS The cemetery was also found to contain at least three, probably more, post-Roman burials. Two of these burials were situated above sixth and seventh century features. <15>

Record last edited

Mar 14 2024 4:45PM