Building record MDO6665 - Roman Temple at Jordan Hill, Weymouth

A Romano Celtic temple and ritual shaft on Jordan Hill. Coins recovered from the shaft suggest that it was constructed during the early Roman period and eventually sealed during the Theodosian period. Also possible signal station. Nearby is a cemetery, thought to date from the late Iron Age and continuing into the Roman period.

A resume of previous reports, many of them conflicting, can be given as follows: In 1842 Mr Medhurst excavated the site and made no adequate plans or report but found a square building with an entrance either on the south or east side. In the south-east corner and partly underlying the main wall was a ceremonial pit at the bottom of which were 2 Roman urns, an iron spearhead, a broad sword, an iron knife and a steelyard and above them were bones of birds. The only dateable coin was of Theodosius (AD 379-395). The entire interior of the building was excavated and steps leading up to the entrance were found also the pavement of a portico or colonnade and the foundations of 4 columns. Outside this was a courtyard surrounded by a wall 5 ft thick enclosing an area variously given as 100 and 200 ft square. Inside the enclosure were found many coins and bones and horns mainly of young bulls. The conclusion was reached that it was a temple. <1-6> The site was again excavated in 1931-32 by Col Drew and Mr Prideaux. No definite conclusion could be reached as the previous excavations had destroyed stratification but it was almost certainly a Romano-Celtic temple though no veranda was found. The square building had internal sides of 22 ft and walls with a maximum foundation width of 9'6" were uncovered. No trace of tesserae was found and it was concluded that it probably had a concrete floor. Finds included tegulae, imbrices, early coarse ware, Samian and New Forest ware, coins etc. <8> The total number of coins found on the site in recent years is 177 Roman and one British. "Sixty one of the coins can be attributed to 388-95 AD. The coins support Col Drew's suggestion that the site is a Romano-Celtic temple originally erected in the earlier Roman period". It is not impossible that the building was used in the late 4th century as a signal station. The British coin is of Atrebatic type in copper. Evans type G:5/6. <5> (Type ascribed to the Durotriges by Allen, Belgic Dynasties. Arch XC 1944 p36) <> Situated slightly below the east of the brow of Jordan Hill and under the care of DOE. The foundations of the original rectangular building of stone are visible as a single wall up to 0.3m above ground level and 1.8 wide along the north and east sides. The course of the remaining sides has been laid out with flat stones set on edge upon intermittently visible foundations of the original building. The internal dimensions of the rectangle are 6.8m square. The interior and exterior have been laid out with lawns. There is no visible sign of an entrance. As a signal station site, a An oblong shaft, 4ft by 3ft and 12ft deep, lay within the SE angle largely under the line of the wall footings. It was lined with roofing slabs and filled with ash and charcoal alternating with roofing tiles, between each of which were bones of a single bird and a small brass coin. At the bottom a stone cist with 2 urns was found with various metal objects associated with it, a sword, a spear-head and a knife etc. A similar cist half way down enclosed urns, a sword and a spear-head. One coin was identified as of Theodosius 1 (379-95). The condition of the others was such that they could not be identified. The date and purpose of the Jordan Hill building are uncertain. It is usually regarded as a temple, and the ritual shaft supports this ascription, although use as a signal station has been suggested. The coins and pottery point to 4th or 5th century occupation, although earlier construction cannot be ruled out. "Although it appears likely that the Theodosian shaft predated the building, or was a foundation deposit, their relationship cannot now be established. <11> Ritual well. There were 16 repetitions of bird skeletons and coins between tiles from the top to the bottom of the well. Birds represented were raven, crow, buzzard and starling, all prognostic birds according to Celtic belief.<12> SY 69898207. Temple as described; the foundations well preserved. Resurveyed at 1:1250 on MSD. <13> The site of the Roman Temple is visible on aerial photographs <16> and was digitally recorded during the the South Dorset Ridgeway Mapping Project.

Record last edited

Nov 19 2023 7:47AM