Monument record MDO47760 - Somerleigh Court, Dorchester; Roman building

Roman building remains, with fragmentary mosaic and tessellated pavements have been found at Somerleigh Court since 1862. They may belong to a large house, or to several different houses.

SY69079048. Part of a red tessellated pavement bounded by walls on the north and east was observed in 1963. At one point it overlay a length of wall associated with a chalk floor upon which was 2nd century pottery. <1>

<1> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 562, no. 189b (Monograph). SDO150.

‘(189) Building Remains with fragmentary mosaic and tessellated pavements have been found at Somerleigh Court, now the Maternity Wing of the County General Hospital, during building operations since 1862. They may belong to a large house or several houses, probably fronting on a street (178) to the E. … (b) Part of a red tessellated pavement, at least 15 ft. E. to W. by 5 ft., bounded by walls on the N. and E., the latter probably continuing the northward line of the W. wall of (c), was observed in 1963 immediately E. of the presumed site of (a), to which it may have belonged (69079048). At one point the pavement overlay a length of E. to W. wall parallel with and 4 ft. S. of the N. wall of the room, associated with a chalk floor on which was 2nd-century pottery. (Information from Mr. C. J. Green.)’

<2> Greene, J P, 1993, Excavations at Dorchester Hospital (Site C), Dorchester, Dorset. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society (Article in serial). SDO9894.

<3> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1410232 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 22 2024 7:41PM