Monument record MDO19028 - Roman road, Skyrme's Workshop, 64 High West Street, Dorchester

Part of a Roman street was found to the rear of 64 High West Street, Dorchester in 1937. It was laid on the original turf line and comprised a layer of chalk over which was a thick layer of cobbles and gravel with a pronounced camber. Traces of ruts and repair patches were noted and a coin of AD360 was found nearby. The road was thought to lead to the south gate of the town.

"A section of a Roman roadway has been discovered during the work of clearing a site at the rear of Messrs. Thurmans premises in High West Street, Dorchester. […] The Roman roadway at the rear of Messrs. Thurmans premises was covered by about three feet of earth and rubbish, which accumulated during the Middle Ages.

Colonel C. D. Drew, who showed the discovery to an “Echo” reporter said that if extended the road direction would lead to the south entrance of the town, which was an indication that this was one of the principal streets of Roman Dorchester. At the moment the excavators have dug to the original turf line, some six feet below the present-day surface. On the turf line was placed a layer of chalk and above this about two feet of rough cobbles. Finer cobbles were then laid, and on these the Roman road, which had a very pronounced camber was made.

There are traces of repair work and also of ruts caused by vehicles using the road in Roman days. Nearby was a coin of about 360A.D. The surface of the road surface is to be uncovered for the purpose of photography." (1)

National Record of the Historic Environment, 1430660 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

<1> Chancellor, E C, 1937, 'Annual General Meeting' Proceedings of the Natural History and Archaeological Society, xxx (Article in serial). SDO9763.

<1> 1937, ROMAN ROADWAY DISCOVERY AT DORCHESTER (Article in serial). SDO9794.

<2> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 552, no. 179b (Monograph). SDO150.

'Observed in 1937 in building an extension to Skyrme's workshops in the garden behind No. 64, High West Street (69199078). It was thought by C. D. Drew to point towards the S. exit of the town, and its alignment of approximately 350 degrees has been confirmed by the subsequent discovery at Boots (a). The metalling, damaged on the W. side, ws 18 ft. wide but was probably at least 21 ft. An old fturf line over the natural Chalk was covered by a thin layer of chalk; above this about 2 ft. of loose flints, steeply cambered and capped by three thin layers of chalk, sand and gravel appear to be the remains of original metalling. Further irregular deposits of gravel, sand and mixed debris, thickest at the sides, were probably later repairs levelling the camber. Theare were ruts or holes in the remetalled surface. Damage on both sides prevents an estimate of the ultimate width of the street.'

Record last edited

Aug 22 2024 7:35PM