Monument record MDO7060 - Romano-British pottery manufacturing site at Redcliff Farm, Arne

A Romano British pottery manufacturing site producing Black Burnished Ware excavated by Farrar, possibly dating from AD 80 to the 4th century. A quern and coins were found.

Occupation Debris was found in 1953-4 in test pits in the field E of Redcliff Farm, at the edge of the floodplain of the Frome (93558672). Much ashy soil in places 1ft to 2ft thick, was found with local coarse pottery dating from at least the end to the 4th century AD. including complete vessels (some, apparently wasters, in Christchurch Museum), a quern-stone and a coin of Septimius Severus (193-211). Pottery manufacture has been suggested here. Romano-British sherds (93288673) were also observed NE of the farm (Dorset Procs. LXXVI (1954), 81; LXXI 1959), 123; Swanage Times 4 Nov., 30 Dec 1953). <1> SY 933867. An extensive Romano-British black-burnished ware factory site at Redcliff Farm, which apparently used clamps or bonfire-firings for production, rather than kilns, has been excavated since 1975 under the direction of R A H Farrar. A gully or drainage-ditch was located in 1977, possibly bounding the west side of the site, and yielded substantially complete cooking pots and dishes of conventionally 2nd century date. Part of a heavily burnt oval or circular floor, apparently the base of a bonfire-firing was exposed in 1979. Pottery in direct association with the floor was scarce but included flat-rim dishes characteristic of the 2nd century. A thin sleeper wall overlying this feature may indicate a shed or building of a relatively long and extremely narrow nature. The thin sleeper wall is interpreted as part of an irregular drainage system part-dating the site. Evidence suggests that the earliest findings date to ca. 80 AD. Interim reports; the excavation ended in 1983. <2-11>

Record last edited

Mar 1 2024 4:41PM