Monument record MDO4860 - Medieval settlement of Colber, Sturminster Newton

Earthworks of a small settlement consisting of an enclosure with banks and ditches, a house platform and associated hollow-ways, and situated in a field still known as ‘Colber’s’. The earthworks cover around 8 acres and represent little more than a single farmstead. The settlement is mentioned in Domesday Book but rarely in later documents, probably because it was incorporated into the manor of Newton. It is known to have been deserted by 1765, as it does not appear on Taylor’s map of Dorset of that date, but was probably deserted much earlier. A few pieces of 12th and 13th-century pottery were found on the site, after ploughing. In 1970 the earthworks were described as having been levelled in 1964.

SETTLEMENT REMAINS (778144) of Colber, N.W. of Sturminster town, comprise an enclosure with banks and ditches, a house platform and associated hollow-ways. The settlement is mentioned in Domesday Book (I,f. 75a; Hutchins IV, 340) but it rarely occurs in later documents, probably because it was incorporated in the manor of Newton. The 1333 Subsidy Roll records twenty-two taxpayers but, since the remains appear to represent a single farmstead, this relatively large number must include people from outlying farms and hamlets as well as from Colber itself. The date of desertion is unknown but it had probably taken place by the late 16th or early 17th century (Hutchins IV, 341); the settlement was certainly deserted by 1765, for I. Taylor's Map of Dorset shows nothing of it. The field in which the remains lie is still known as 'Colber's'. <1> The farmstead, once known as Colber, appears to have been deserted soon after the middle of the 14th century. <2> The site of Colber farmstead, under grass when visited, has suffered considerable mutilation by ploughing. Where extant, it remains as described by RCHM <1>. Elsewhere the ditches have been reduced to cropmarks, and the banks to low unsurveyable ground swellings. The land owner reports finding sherds of pottery when ploughing. These were dated as 13th century by Dorchester Museum. The site is poorly defined on OS air photographs. Surveyed at 1:2500 on MSDs. ST 77/7814 in conjunction with RCHM plan. <3> Colber settlement earthworks suffered further damage by extensive drainage operations in October 1978 (a). The surviving banks are now in a very poor state but the survey of 15.8.78 is still acceptable. Sherds of Medieval pottery were found at ST 77961434. <4>

Record last edited

Jan 24 2022 3:38PM