Monument record MDO18565 - Poundbury Pipeline, Dorchester; Iron Age roundhouse

Part of a possible Iron Age roundhouse was revealed during a watching brief by Wessex Archaeology on a pipeline running through the industrial estates to the east of Poundbury Camp (*). This comprised the terminals of two shallow curvilinear gullies, which contained post impressions in the base and a number of associated postholes. Two pits were associated with this possible round house. One contained only a few sherds of abraded coarseware pottery and the other contained large quantities of animal bone, including both domestic refuse and three ‘special deposits’ of articulated horse bones. The round house is probably part of the Durotrigian 1st century open settlement found previously during excavations at Poundbury directed by Christopher Sparey Green.

Part of a possible Iron Age roundhouse was revealed during a watching brief by Wessex Archaeology on a pipeline running through the industrial estates to the east of Poundbury Camp (1) (2) (3) (4). This comprised the terminals of two shallow curvilinear gullies, 0.4m wide and 0.1m deep, which contained post impressions in the base and were associated with a number of other postholes. Associated with this possible round house were two pits. One contained only a few sherds of abraded coarseware pottery and the other contained large quantities of animal bone, including both domestic refuse and three ‘special deposits’ of articulated horse bones. The round house is probably part of the Durotrigian 1st century open settlement found previously during excavations at Poundbury directed by Christopher Sparey Green (5). This house lies some 30m to the west of the previously excavated examples.

<1> Davies, S M and Grieve, D, 1986, 'The Poundbury pipe-line: Archaeological Observations and Excavations', Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 81-88 (Article in serial). SDO9537.

<2> Grieve, D and Davies, S M, 1986, The Poundbury Pipe-Line: Archaeological Observations and Excavations 1986 (Unpublished document). SDO157.

<3> Grieve, D, and Davies, S M, 1986, The Poundbury Pipeline. Archaeological Observations and Excavations, 1986 (Excavation archive). SDO10064.

<4> Frere, S S, 1987, 'Roman Britain in 1986: 1. Sites explored', Britannia, 345 (Article in serial). SDO9988.

<5> Sparey Green, C, 1987, Excavations at Poundbury, Dorchester, Dorset 1966-1982. Volume 1: The Settlements (Monograph). SDO9630.

Record last edited

Jan 11 2007 5:57AM