Monument record MDO5992 - Roman finds, Shapwick

Romano-British occupation debris including Samian ware and coarse pottery of the first and second centuries. An Iron Age weaving comb, pottery and a brooch found in the nineteenth century may have come from nearby. The record for this monument has been enhanced with support from Wessex Water.

[Area centred ST 95600219] RB pottery mostly in Early 1 Age C traditions including samian and 3rd or 4th c coarse ware, flint flakes, animal bones & oyster shells ploughed up in 1914 in TREE FIELD. Presented by Miss A. J. KENT. The RED HOUSE. STURMINSTER MARSHALL. Mus No 1952/83/1. <1>

This field is now pasture. No finds were made during investigation of the area. <3>

<1> Drew, C D, Colonel Drew's Index, Dorset County Museum (Index). SDO18316.

<2> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1975, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume V (East), 61 (Monograph). SDO129.

‘(32) Romano-British Occupation Debris (957023), found in 1914 on New Barn Farm, ½ mile S.S.W. of Badbury Rings, lay on the crest and S.E. slope of a broad Chalk ridge between 175 ft. and 200 ft. above O.D. The material includes samian and coarse pottery of the 1st and 2nd centuries. An Iron Age weaving comb, pottery and a brooch, found in the 19th century, may have come from near by (Arch. J., III (1856), 352; notes in D.C.M.). The site and the surrounding area have been heavily ploughed, but air photographs (C.U.A.P., XZ 19, 26, 27) reveal traces of enclosures and indeterminate lengths of ditch.'

<3> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 17-MAR-54 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<4> Bowen, H C, 1990, The Archaeology of Bokerley Dyke (Monograph). SWX800.

<5> Bowen, H C, 1991, The Archaeology of Bokerley Dyke: Inventory, 29 (Monograph). SDO14864.

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 209513 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

<6> Papworth, M, 1994, Shapwick Parish, Kingston Lacy Estate, Wessex Region, 56 (Unpublished document). SDO14228.

A scatter of pottery ranging from Bronze Age -4th century Romano-British date is disturbed in each ploughing and was first recorded in 1914 (O.S.ST90SE24). The area was field walked during October 1987 by National Trust archaeologists. Most of the abraded sherds were Romano-British black burnished ware. The find spot is probably associated with the ring ditches 112492-494 visible on aerial photograph NMR ST9502/8. No stone or tile or anything else indicative of a substantial structure were found and is likely that the finds indicate a small “native” timber framed farmstead. The finds were concentrated on the crest of a chalk spur within an area measuring 30m dia.

Record last edited

Feb 6 2023 6:44PM