Monument record MDO620 - Pinford Lane, Castleton, Sherborne; late Iron Age settlement

Limited evidence for a late Iron Age settlement has been found during excavations at Pinford Lane conducted by E. A Rawlence (1933) and C E Bean (1950-1958). The evidence primarily consists of 1st century pottery and coins. Evidence of Roman occupation overlays the Late Iron Age evidence.

(Centred ST 654170). The site of a Romano-British agricultural settlement covers some 40 acres around Long Plantation, Pinford Lane, overlying an area of Iron Age 'C' occupation. The latter, which occupies high ground to the south and east is represented by a silver coin of the Durotriges (Evans F 1/2), a bronze brooch of Aucissa type and typical pottery of the period. On a hill-top immediately to the south, ST 65121670, Iron Age situlate pottery mixed with fragments of bone has been found. An unpublished plan of the site is in Dorchester Museum. Scheduled as an Ancient Monument - Dorset 788. <2, 4, 5, 6, 9> C. E. Bean conducted excavations at the Roman and late Iron Age settlement, Pinford Lane over several seasons. The exact dates have not been recorded but it seems likely that excavations took place under his direction from at least 1950 until 1958. C. E. Bean mentions trial trenches and trial holes excavated at Pinford Lane in an interim report published in the PDNHAS in 1950 but does not say when they were dug. He may be referring to excavations by E.A. Rawlence during ?1933 or to his own excavations in and prior to 1950. He mentions pottery and coins from the late Iron Age (1st century AD) to the late Roman period. The Roman remains were covered with 15 inches of clay, which suggested to Bean that the site reverted to marsh in the post-Roman period. He also notes that medieval material occurs together with Roman at the foot of the hills around the site <1>. The area of Roman settlement was revealed to extend for 750 yards E-W and 250 yards N-S following excavations by C. E. Bean during 1955. Mr. Bean suggests it may be a valleyward extension of the 1st century occupation at the foot of the hill to the south <3>. More Roman buildings were revealed during excavations in 1957-1958, bounded on their west side by a ditch. ‘This site produced a silver coin of the Durotiges in the 1933 excavation, with a coin of Nero and nearby a tinned or silvered bronze brooch.’ The excavations suggest that Pinford Lane is the site of a small Roman town or village located at the foot of a late Iron Age settlement <7>.

Record last edited

Dec 2 2022 11:48AM