Monument record MDO45840 - Romano-British cist burial, Swanage

(Approx. SZ 022780) A Cist-vaen was unearthed about 50 years ago, containing one skeleton of full size, at the south-west corner of Newton Grounds belonging to Sir Charles Robinson, 766 yards from the playing field to the west (presumably the Cricket Ground shown at SZ 029781 on OS 6" 1929). <1>

No additional information obtained during field investigation. <2>

SZ 022780. Approx. site of skeleton in cist (with sub-ref to Authy 1). <3>

A cist with adult inhumation was found in this area of the Iron Age/ Romano-British settlement at SZ 020 783 - see SZ 07 NW 7, circa 1860. <4>

<1> Hardy W M, 1910, Old Swanage (1910), 12 (Monograph). SWX3274.

<2> Rigg, J, Field Investigators Comments JR, F1 JR 03-SEP-52 (Unpublished document). SWX1255.

<3> Calkin, J B, Annotated Record Map Corr. 6, 1964 (Map). SWX8351.

<4> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 612, No 95 (Monograph). SDO150.

‘(95) Herston (SZ 07 NW). Inhumation Burials, and Occupation Debris from Iron Age 'A' to late Roman times, have been found in quarrying the N. slopes about 250 ft. above sea level (about 021783).

The site, perhaps all now destroyed, yielded haematite coated and other Iron Age 'A' sherds, Iron Age 'C' and Roman sherds, a few hand-cut shale armlet roughs and class A and C cores from turned armlets. Of two pits examined in 1931, one contained Iron Age 'C' pottery. Several extended burials in stone cists side by side are referable to the Roman period. Some pottery is in Poole Museum. A cist with adult inhumation was found in this area c. 1860. (Dorset Procs. LXX (1948), 42, 50; LXXV (1953), 69; Swanage Times, 7 Oct. 1953, 17 Feb. 1954; W. M. Hardy, Old Swanage (1908), 12.)’

<5> National Record of the Historic Environment, 457463 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Apr 14 2023 4:43PM