Monument record MDO5040 - Romano-British settlement on Blandford Race Down, Tarrant Launceston

An area of fragmented banked earthworks is visible in the north eastern part of Blandford camp on 1940s aerial photographs. The features are situated with an area of First and Second World War military earthworks and structures and are heavily superimposed by these in aerial photographs dated 1947. Many of the features remain visible on current Environment Agency lidar imagery. The features are recorded as a settlement of Iron Age to Roman date in NRHE Hob UID 209333. They were digitally plotted during the Dorset Middle Stour AIM project.

Small sherds of Iron Age and Romano-British pottery, including a possible small pot base of New Forest ware, were found during investigation. Within the area of the settlement are two probable barrows 'A' (ST 92770918) and 'B' (ST 92540922), both with large central hollows but no surrounding ditches. Dimensions, 7.0m diameter by 0.6m high and 14.8m diameter by 1.3m high respectively. See 1:2500 plan attached. <1> The site, severely damaged during the present century comprises a nucleated occupation area of about eight acres characterised by low earthworks, now much disturbed, among which a number of sunken platforms are probably the sites of former buildings. The area of occupation lies within a larger area, about 500 yds. in diameter, defined by shallow ditches, low banks and scarps. At least four contemporary tracks in the form of shallow hollow-ways, 25 ft. to 50 ft. across, run into this area. Outside the settlement on the N.E., air photographs show a small subrectangular enclosure (93000947), about 250 ft. by 150 ft., associated with linear ditches and possibly with other enclosures it lies on the N. side of a track which extends E.N.E. from the settlement for at least 1,000 yds., as far as 937097. 'Celtic' fields extend S.W. of the settlement, but nowhere do they join it. <3> ST 92710924. Romano-British settlement and two Bronze Age bowl barrows on Blandford Race Down. The area occupied by the site has been disturbed by military activity during the 20th century. This disturbance includes a zigzag trench, used for training purposes, probably early in the 20th century. <5> An area of fragmented banked earthworks is visible in the north eastern part of Blandford camp on 1940s aerial photographs <7>. The features are situated with an area of First and Second World War military earthworks and structures and are heavily superimposed by these in aerial photographs dated 1947 <7>. Many of the features remain visible on current Environment Agency lidar imagery <8>. The features are recorded as a settlement of Iron Age to Roman date in NRHE Hob UID 209333 and were digitally plotted during the Dorset Middle Stour AIM project.

Record last edited

Jan 23 2023 4:05PM