Monument record MDO18543 - Alington Avenue Post-Roman Building 1234.

Evidence for a Post-Roman building was discovered during excavations at Alington Avenue. Building [1234] was a post-built timber structure lying towards the eastern end of the site and cutting through the silted up ditches of the small enclosure [4179]. This rectangular structure was aligned NNE-SSW across the slope of the ground and the post-holes were badly eroded by later ploughing. Its overall dimensions were 14.8m x 6.6-7m enclosing an area of approximately 85m2, although no internal floor surfaces survived. The post-holes varied in size from 0.4m-0.6m with extant depths of between 0.03m-0.6m, probably containing posts of approximately 0.3m diameter. One definite doorway, 2.6m wide, was positioned in the centre of the west wall. 25 post-holes and 21 stake holes were recorded within the building, the majority in the southern part of the structure, some of which may have represented a small subdivision or animal stall and others may have supported a roof or upper floor. Artefactual evidence only allows for a date of 4th century AD or later. The structure was built in a two square unit plan similar to a 4th century or later building [571] excavated at County Hall, Dorchester. Comparison to other timber structures at Chalton, Hants and Cowdery’s Down, Hants, suggests a date of the 6th-8th centuries AD for this structure.

Found during a series of archaeological evaluations and excavations conducted by Wessex Archaeology at Alington Avenue, Fordington, Dorchester, between 1984-1987. The results of the excavations have been published as a Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Monograph (DNHAS Monograph 15). The numbers in square brackets below refer to the context and feature numbers used in the published reports (1). A spread of post-holes recorded across the centre of the site could be resolved into a small number of rectangular structures and alignments, all roughly parallel to the latest phase of Roman ditched boundaries. These structures were post-built with no surviving floor surfaces rendering the interpretation of their plans uncertain. There was only one clear building plan [1234] in the eastern end of the site and at least three other rectangular structures further to the west. The remaining post-hole alignments can be best understood as the vestiges of contemporary fence-lines. A possible sunken featured building [752] may also have been contemporary. Most finds were residual or intrusive but stratigraphical relationships suggest that these structures were relatively late in the site sequence. The buildings probably relate to a later land allotment system, which is either very late or post-Roman in date. Building [1234] was a post-built timber structure lying towards the eastern end of the site and cutting through the silted up ditches of the small enclosure [4179]. This rectangular structure was aligned NNE-SSW across the slope of the ground and the post-holes were badly eroded by later ploughing. Its overall dimensions were 14.8m x 6.6-7m enclosing an area of approximately 85m2, although no internal floor surfaces survived. The post-holes varied in size from 0.4m-0.6m with extant depths of between 0.03m-0.6m, probably containing posts of approximately 0.3m diameter. One definite doorway, 2.6m wide, was positioned in the centre of the west wall with two moderately substantial door posts set back about 0.8m-1m from the wall line. There were two possible entrances in the east wall, the southern of which was also 2.6m wide. 25 post-holes and 21 stake holes were recorded within the building, the majority in the southern part of the structure. Some of these may have represented a small subdivision or animal stall, possibly with its own entrance to the east, in the SE corner of the building. Others may have supported a roof or upper floor. There was unfortunately no evidence for the nature of the walling or the roofing material. Some form of wattle and daub or cob seems likely, with possibly a thatched roof, although these remain unsupported theories. Artefactual evidence only allows for a date of the 4th century AD or later. The structure was built in a two square unit plan similar to a 4th century or later building [571] excavated at County Hall, Dorchester. Comparison to other timber structures at Chalton, Hants and Cowdery’s Down, Hants, suggests a date of the 6th-8th centuries AD for this structure. <1> Early Mediaeval corn driers and evidence of two post-built timber buildings were discovered during excavations at Alington Avenue in 1984-7. <2>

Record last edited

Mar 14 2024 3:51PM