Monument record MDO18611 - Colliton Park, Dorchester; Roman Building III

Fragmentary remains of a large Roman building (Building III) were exposed in the W part of Colliton Park during excavations in 1937 and 1938. Building III lay immediately south of the enclosure (Building VII) on the west side of Colliton Park. It lies just east of the Roman town rampart and is broadly aligned on the Roman street to the east. It comprised a N-S range on the west side of a slightly sunken courtyard, that was apparently open to the east, with a detached single room on the north side (Building IIIa). The main western range was divided into three narrow rooms with a corridor along the east side. The walls and footings were of limestone and flint with herringbone limestone footings in the northern part. Very little masonry debris was found within this building, which may indicate that it was mainly of timber construction on sleeper walls. No evidence survives for the original function of this building, but a number of ovens were inserted, perhaps suggesting that they had an industrial function, at least during the later period of its use. No secure dating evidence was produced, but it was in use during the 4th century. A fine 4th century Rhenish glass bowl engraved with Bacchic dancers was found in a pit at the southern end of the corridor.

Fragmentary remains of a large Roman building were exposed in the W part of Colliton Park during excavations in 1937 and 1938. Due to the outbreak of World War II, the excavations were never completed or written up. The following account is based on the interim report (1) and the Royal Commission Inventory entry (2). Building III lay immediately south of the enclosure (Building VII) on the west side of Colliton Park. It lies just east of the Roman town rampart and is broadly aligned on the Roman street to the east. It comprised a N-S range on the west side of a slightly sunken courtyard, that was apparently open to the east, with a detached single room on the north side (Building IIIa). The main western range was divided into three narrow rooms with a corridor along the east side. The walls and footings were of limestone and flint with herringbone limestone footings in the northern part. Very little masonry debris was found within this building, which may indicate that it was mainly of timber construction on sleeper walls. The northern room apparently had a chalk or clay and chalk floor with some areas of rough flint cobbling. There was a small compartment at the southern end of the room, which may have been a store or perhaps a staircase base. An oven had been inserted into the northern part of the room, partially constructed over the footings to the corridor wall, suggesting it post-dates this wall. No floor surfaces are recorded from the middle room, but an oven was inserted into a shallow pit at the northern end of the room, again the oven impinges on the line of the corridor. Another large shallow pit, largely filled with small beach pebbles and ash. The southern room had a slight spread of mortar overlying the chalk in one part, perhaps the remains of the floor. Two postholes near the southern end may mark a partition within this room. Two rectangular pits were cut into the southern end of the room. The corridor was also divided into three parts and had an external doorway towards the southern end. A rectangular pit at the southern end of the corridor produced a substantially complete 4th century Rhenish glass bowl engraved with Bacchic dancers. Building IIIa lay on the line of the north side of the courtyard. It comprised a single room, perhaps with a doorway in the SE corner. It was constructed of flint nodules laid in herringbone fashion, with limestone blocks at the corners. The southeast corner was built on top of a large pit. The building had a rammed chalk floor. An oven was found against the north wall, filled with ash and beach pebbles. A number of rubbish pits containing 4th century material lay immediately outside this building to the east and a well lay to the south.

Record last edited

Mar 10 2024 5:28PM