Monument record MDO961 - Roman building at Norwood Farm, Corscombe

Romano-British tiles were found in the area in 1920 and 1937. The finds included both roof and flue tiles, and are thought to indicate the presence of a substantial building in the vicinity.

Roman building material has been found in the area ST 531058. 'A' ST 5303 0589. Roman roof tile found 1937. 'B' ST 5316 0586. Roman roof tiles found 1920. 'C' ST 5302 0582. Half a dozen pieces of tegulae and two pieces of briquettage with slag accretion (a). Most of the finds are in the Dorset County Museum. A fragment of Samian picked up on the farm track is the only piece of pottery known to have been found. <1-2> 'A' Area under pasture, no further indication of settlement found. 'B' The area was ploughed for the first time in October 1976 by the farmer, Mr Dowding, who, with Mr R Lucas, collected post Md (and one possible Md) pot sherds, since deposited in Dorset County Museum. There is a probable building platform, about 15m square and 0.4m high, situated at the bottom of a S facing slope alongside a small stream. To the W, a possible walled enclosure, about 50m E to W by 20m N to S, may be traced by linear spreads of building stone. Small pieces of tile, undatable, post Md and 2 definite Md sherds were found. (Sherds deposited in DCM). Area delineated on 6". 'C' Area under cultivation, no further indication of settlement found. <3> A: Under pasture, several features noted. In the western half of the field c.17m north of the stream and running parallel to it is a low bank c.5m wide and c. 0.3m high. It appears to run into the west side of a linear hollow, perhaps a drain or hollow-way, which occupies the centre of the field running north-south. This feature deepens at its south end to dimensions of c. 10m wide and c. 1.5m deep. There are two other linear features in the field; one a bank c. 3.5m wide and c. 0.3m high, running north-south c. 40m from the west field lodge; the other, to the east, at right angles to it, a slight south-facing scarp. A probable junction between them has been destroyed by a sub-circular, pond-like hollow c. 12m wide and c. 1m wide. All these features are undated and may relate to former field boundaries. B: Since ploughing, commencing in 1976, this field has been allowed to develop natural vegetation. Destruction of the soil structure has led to the formation of a boggy area covered with sedge and marsh grasses, obscuring features previously observed. Three linear features were visible: one is a length of low bank, c. 4m wide, in the western half of the field running north-south for c. 20m. The second is a bank of similar width and c. 0.5m high running parallel to the first c. 30m to the west. It turns a double right angle before resuming a north-south alignment heading for the south west corner of a barn at Norwoood Farm. A recent hole dug into this bank exposed two sherds of coarse, Medieval pottery. The third feature was another length of bank aligned similarly north-south on the barn at Norwood Farm, but further south towards the stream. These features could be Medieval property boundaries or later field boundaries. A large drainage ditch dug around the north and west margins of the field revealed abundant brick/tile fragments. Those which could be identified were all RB tegulae. Mr. Dowding, of Furlongs, and former owner of Norwood Farm, reports that during ploughing he observed "very dark patches" of soil. Given previous discoveries of RB tile, without finds of any other nature, it is possible that there are kilns here. C: Under plough: no further finds. In the field south east of Norwood Farm, centre SU 05855324, more low banks were observed, trending north-south and east-west. It is possible that together with similar features around A and B they are Post Medieval, and possible Medieval land boundaries. <4> Settlement remains centred at ST 532058 include close banks and house platforms of a medieval farm or hamlet cover 10 acres. Well preserved on ground. North of the stream in a 'farm' comprising a 50 foot square platform, a 60 foot square yard backed by a close. South of the stream is a house platform 40 by 30 feet and croft by a cobbled track leading to the east of other closes nearby. <5> Listed as the site of a possible Roman villa. <6>

Record last edited

Mar 1 2022 11:14AM