Monument record MDO1742 - Roman settlement, Nether Cerne

Slight earthworks of a possible Iron Age and Romano British settlement. Surface finds of Roman tiles and pottery have been recorded and may indicate the presence also of a Roman building.

Centred at SY 66279884. A possible Iron Age/Romano-British type settlement on the northern slopes of a hill, set in an IA/RB field system (SY 69 NE 10). There are several hollows which appear to have been scooped out, and several which appear to result from natural subsidence of which there are many in the surrounding fields. The site, under stubble, was partly snow covered; however, a fairly large scatter of RB pottery was found, also a few fragments of possible Roman roof tiles. If it is an IA/RB settlement it would represent a large site of its type. There is no trace of an enclosure. <1>

Further investigated 23rd. March 1955 when ploughing had commenced, but not weathered. There were no surface finds in the ploughed area, but elsewhere and in particular in the North West corner and near the parish boundary, a heavy scatter of pottery including fragments of Samian and New Forest ware, together, with fragments of what may be Roman brick and tiles, and almost certainly fragments of imbrices, were found. Here also was found a small iron object, two pieces of ?iron slag, several flat stones which are alien and may be parts of roof tiles, and a heavy scatter of calcined flints together with a stone showing distinct signs of grinding. In this area a heavy distribution of large flints occurs, and the sum of the surface evidence leads to the assumption that there was probably a building here though no definite building platform could be detached. Overall evidence is sufficient to warrant the classification of a settlement site". <2>

The pottery forwarded to A.O. Museum from this site is all of Romano-British type. <3>

<1> Rigg, J, Field Investigators Comments JR, F1 JR 01-MAR-55 (Unpublished document). SWX1255.

<2> Rigg, J, Field Investigators Comments JR, F1 JR 23-MAR-1955 (Unpublished document). SWX1255.

<3> Rivet, A L F, 1952, Field Investigators Comments ALFR, ALF Rivet AAO April 1955 (Unpublished document). SWX1221.

<4> National Record of the Historic Environment, 452854 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jul 21 2023 2:39PM