Monument record MDO18614 - Colliton Park, Dorchester; Roman Building V

The fragmentary remains of an aisled barn and associated walled courtyard to the south were exposed in the E part of Colliton Park during excavations in 1937 and 1938. Building V lay on the eastern side of the N-S Roman street, but was only approximately aligned to this street. It was extremely poorly preserved and much of the wall lines had disappeared and no floor levels survived. The most certain remains consisted of parallel E-W walls with two rows of three stone bases between, forming an aisled barn structure. The surviving walls were of flint with limestone quoins. The stone bases were of Ham Hill stone. To the south of the aisled barn was an angle of walling on the same alignment, which may be part of a walled yard attached to this building, which overlay an earlier metalling of the street and also overlay a pit containing 4th century pottery.

(Centred at SY 69009090) Six Roman buildings found in Colliton Park, by Lt. Col Drew and Mr. Collingwood Selby prior to the erection of a new County Hall. Building 5, may have been a large aisled barn with internal wooden support. The fragmentary remains of a Roman building were exposed in the E 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 <3> and the Royal Commission Inventory entry <5>. This building lay on the eastern side of the N-S Roman street, but was only approximately aligned to this street. It was extremely poorly preserved and much of the wall lines had disappeared and no floor levels survived. The most certain remains consisted of parallel E-W walls with two rows of three stone bases between, forming an aisled barn structure. The surviving walls were of flint with limestone quoins. The stone bases were of Ham Hill stone. This building was constructed over a pit (Pit W) containing 1st century pottery and an iron tyre from a wheel and two hub bands. To the south of the aisled barn was an angle of walling on the same alignment, which may be part of a walled yard attached to this building. It overlay an earlier metalling of the street and also overlay a pit containing 4th century pottery <3>.

Record last edited

Mar 10 2024 5:29PM