Monument record MDO47799 - Mint, Dorchester
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Summary
A mint operated at Dorchester throughout the Saxon period from the reign of Athelstan to that of Edward the Confessor. The last minting was of William IIs last issue, interrupted by his death in 1100. The evidence implies that Dorchester had been refounded as a defendable town or burh in the late 9th-early 10th century.
Map
Type and Period (2)
Full Description
The earliest documentary evidence of a mint at Dorchester is in the reign of Aethelstan, when a moneyer is mentioned in the enactments of Grately. The last coin minted there was the final issue of William II of 1100. <1> <2> <4>
It would appear that Dorchester was refounded in the late 9th or early 10th centuries on the same lines as the known Saxo burhs, and utilising the Roman layout. The Grateley document specifies that a mint had to be within a site capable of defence, implying that Dorchester was defensible at that time. <3>
Coins were minted at Dorchester from ca.924-1062. <5>
Sources/Archives (6)
- <1> SWX1971 Monograph: Warne, C. 1872. Ancient Dorset (2nd Edition). 303, 315-6.
- <2> SDO55 Serial: Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society. 1956. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1955. 77. 155-156.
- <3> SDO20505 Monograph: Wilson, David M (ed). 1976. The archaeology of Anglo-Saxon England. 131.
- <4> SDO20506 Monograph: Drewett, Peter L (ed). 1978. Archaeology in Sussex to 1500 AD. 70-71.
- <5> SWX1366 Monograph: Hill, David. 1981. An Atlas of Anglo-Saxon England. 131.
- <6> SDO14739 Digital archive: National Record of the Historic Environment. 1076230.
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (0)
Location
| Grid reference | SY 6920 9070 (point) |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | SY69SE |
| Civil Parish | Dorchester; Dorset |
Protected Status/Designation
- None recorded
Other Statuses/References
- Legacy UID: National Monuments Record: SY 69 SE 236
- Legacy UID: National Record of the Historic Environment: 1076230
Record last edited
Feb 15 2024 2:37PM