Monument record MDO18439 - Poundbury Post-Roman Structure PR12

A large post-built rectangular structure (PR12) was discovered at the northern end of Site E, during the 1966-79 excavations at Poundbury, Dorchester. The full plan and layout of this building are uncertain as only parts of the south and west sides were defined. The entrance may have been in the west side. Immediately to the southwest was a grain drier (drier 4). The association of the grain drier and the large size of the structure suggests that PR12 may have been a barn. PR12 (together with structure PR11, pit groups vi-vii and grain drier 4) formed a small settlement in the northern end of the earlier post-Roman enclosure and probably dating to the 5th century 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 excavation report and archive (1)(2). Further refinement of the post-Roman settlement sequence has been undertaken by Christopher Sparey Green since the initial publication of the site and this has been taken into account in the following description (3). At the northern end of Site E, within the northern end of the earlier post-Roman enclosure were the remains of a large rectangular post-built structure (PR12). A large number of postholes were found in the area, but few seemed to form a coherent plan and much of the area on the north and east sides was heavily disturbed. It is suggested by the excavator that these form part of a structure about 12.2m by 6.1m across. The west side may have been formed by postholes [E453], [E452], [E451], [[E428], [E458] and [E465] and the south side by postholes [E479], [E480], [E486] and [E499]. No clear definition of the northern and eastern sides was possible. The large posthole [E456], near the centre of the southern side has been interpreted as possibly containing a major roof post whilst its equivalent at the north end would have been destroyed by a modern drain. The position of [E456] might suggest a half-hipped roof, as with structure PR2b. The entrance possibly lay on the west side, indicated by postholes [E428] & [E458]. There was no evidence for the internal layout (1). Adjacent to the southwest corner of PR12 was grain drier 4, which may have been contemporary with the building. The proximity of the drier and the large size of the building, suggests that Structure PR12 was a barn. PR12 was assigned to phase VA in the original monograph publication (1). In a later reappraisal of the post-Roman settlements, this structure was assigned, along with PR11, grain drier 4 and pit groups vi & vii, to phase 1 of the post-Roman settlement. This represented the earliest post-Roman settlement, to the north of the main cemetery and possibly contemporary with the latest phase of burial (3).

Record last edited

Aug 3 2010 5:30PM