Monument record MDO7470 - Romano-British well shrine at Norden, Corfe Castle

Romano British well, including drystone approach wall and floor. Pottery (decorated Samian), metal work, bones and coins also found as well as two inscribed limestone altars.

The discovery by P A Brown of a well-shrine at SY958826 has led to its excavation, commencing in 1972 with the object of obtaining further information on its ritual significance. Evidence for its ritual character in the main arises from Brown's discovery of two small uninscribed limestone altars at the well entrance, one in association with the wall structure and the other lying nearby on the chalk floor, and by the presence of a complete sheep's skull deposited at the bottom of the well. The well appears to have had two structural phases, firstly as a simple cylindrical shaft, elaborated in the second phase by the widening of the top to about 3 metres with a flight of steps of dressed stone leading down to water level. The relationship to the well of dry-stone walls and floors of limestone and chalk has not yet been determined. Finds indicating occupation between the late 1st and early 5th centuries include Samian and other pottery, metal-work, animal bones and coins. Evidence of shale working and manufacture of chalk tesserae shows a clear link with the adjoining industrial site. <1> The excavation of the well site was completed in 1973,and it was completely back-filled. Finds will be deposited in the County Museum. The large number of coins found overall, the well itself with its rather grand approach, the two uninscribed altars, and the tentative evidence of what may be votive pottery similar to examples from religious contexts on Hadrian's Wall, suggest that the well and the associated building may have been of religious character. <2> A Romano-British sacred well was discovered and partially excavated by P A Brown just south of Corfe Castle. Further excavation was carried out in 1972 by Southampton University. The site is situated on a small ‘peninsula’ between disused 19th century clay workings and the Swanage to Wareham railway. The clay workings and construction/ removal of the railway has led to the inversion of the ancient occupation layers which has made interpretation of the site problematic until detailed levelling produced evidence of how the stratification had formed. The well is 2 to 3 metres deep, 0.9 metres in diameter at the bottom and approximately 3 metres wide at the top. There may have been two constructional phases, both using drystone wall methods. The first phase consisted a simple cylindrical well shaft made of rough undressed local stone of varying sizes. The second phase was more elaborate which widened the shaft into a funnel shaped approach and a flight of dressed stone steps leading down to the water level. Th walls of the well were built up in this phase using shaped stones of similar sizes and some repair work may have also been carried out, including insertion of chalk blocks into cracks and gaps in the stonework. Other structural features include the remains of a rough drystone wall built on foundations of chalk blocks and running north to south across the site, and which may be associated with the well approach structure as the area between these features consisted of a chalk floor that has been well worn in parts. Two other possible walls of similar construction have been located on the other side of the north-south wall, but the relationship between the structures has not been determined. Material evidence from the 1972 excavation includes pottery, including decorated samian, metal work, animal bones, building materials and coins. There was also evidence on shale working and manufacture of chalk tesserae. Evidence of the ritual character of the site is provided by two small inscribed limestone alters found near the well entrance and by the presence of a complete sheeps skull deposited at the bottom of the well. <1-2>

Record last edited

Mar 2 2024 7:18AM