Monument record MDO18650 - Library Site, Colliton Park, Dorchester; Roman Road 1

A Roman road running N-S was found during excavations on the site of the new Dorset County Library, Colliton Park, Dorchester in 1961-63, where it was numbered Road 1. Observations by Christopher Sparey Green in 1965 during the construction of the library suggested that this road must have turned sharply to the east just to the north of the excavation trench. It was made from grouted flint gravel and the surface was very worn, with many ruts and frequent repairs. The road was probably constructed in the 1st century AD and appears to have gone out of use by the late 3rd century, when it was sealed by a number of deposits and a building constructed over it.

A Roman road running N-S was found during excavations on the site of the new Dorset County Library, Colliton Park, Dorchester in 1961-63, where it was numbered Road 1 (1). Observations by Christopher Sparey Green in 1965 during the construction of the library suggested that this road must have turned sharply to the east just to the north of the excavation trench (2). Road 1 was laid in the western half of a large linear feature cut into the chalk. It consisted of grouted flint gravel forming a road about 2.6m wide. No dating evidence for the period of construction of this road was recovered, but it is likely to have been in the 1st century AD (3). The road had been well-used and the surface of was very worn and rutted. Many of the ruts had been repaired and in one of these repairs was a coin of c. AD141. The road appears to have gone out of use before the end of the 3rd century AD, as it was sealed by deposits of ash and soil and capped by spreads of chalk containg coins of c. AD268-270. A Roman building (Building 4) was subsequently constructed across the line of this road.

Record last edited

Dec 7 2023 11:48AM