Monument record MDO18676 - A37 Western Link; Late Iron Age/ Early Roman Cemetery Structure 929

Evidence for a Late Iron Age/ Early Roman cemetery structure was discovered during excavations along the route of the Dorchester By-pass, Western Link. Structure [929] was rectangular in plan and aligned NE-SW along the coombe side. The main structure measured 4.6m x 2m and was defined by a series of beam slots and surrounded by seven post-holes, four to the front and three to the rear, possibly supporting the roof and a veranda. A drainage gully was also excavated behind the structure. Pottery from the fills contained 2nd century and later Roman pottery. The structure was surrounded by at least 14 burials, which appear to have been deliberately set around it, mostly to the west. It is likely that this represents a funerary structure in use until at least the latter part of the 2nd century, at which time burials ceased.

Found during a programme of archaeological work conducted by Wessex Archaeology along the route of the Dorchester By-pass, Western Link, Fordington Bottom, Dorchester between 1986 and 1988. The results of the excavations have been published as a Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Monograph; (DNHAS Monograph 11). The numbers in square brackets below refer to the context and feature numbers used in the published report (1). 24 graves or possible graves are assigned to this period, from which the remains of 15 skeletons were recovered. All are considered to be of Late Iron Age/Early Roman date on the basis of associated grave goods and the form of burial. The graves are spread over a distance of c. 150m through trenches G/H and K along the coombe side. 14 graves were concentrated around structure [929] in Trench K, the remainder occurring as isolated graves. No contemporary settlement structures were identified in the area at this time. Two almost parallel narrow gullies [910] & [989] may have formed a cemetery boundary. These gullies could not be traced into Trench G/H but followed the alignment of the graves and enclosed an area around structure [929]. Structure [929] was rectangular in plan and aligned NE-SW along the coombe side at the southern end of Trench K. The main structure measured 4.6m x 2m and was defined by a series of beam slots and surrounded by seven post-holes, four to the front and three to the rear, possibly supporting the roof and a veranda. A drainage gully was also excavated behind the structure. All the features were shallow (<0.2m deep) and had been disturbed by ploughing. Pottery from the beam slot fills suggests that the building was in use for a considerable time, it included 2nd century and later Roman pottery. The structure was surrounded by at least 14 burials, which appear to have been deliberately set around it, mostly to the west. The structure does not disturb any graves and no later graves encroach upon it. It is likely that this represents a funerary structure in use until at least the latter part of the 2nd century, at which time burials ceased in the area.

Record last edited

Jan 26 2007 1:07AM