Monument record MDO7450 - Prehistoric or Romano-British settlement on Kingston Down, Corfe Castle

A Prehistoric or Romano-British settlement consisting of earthworks covering 6 acres with evidence for trackways, hut circles and turf covered banks. Scheduled. Earthworks associated with this and the adjacent settlemet (MDO7451) are mapped from aerial photographs and lidar during the Wild Purbeck Mapping Project.

A prehistoric or Romano-British settlement covering up to 6 acres of the almost flat exposed top of a coastal plateau on Kingston Down, lies in close relationship with a 'Celtic' field system (SY 97 NE 28); the precise limits of the settlement are uncertain as they are so integrated with the fields. It comprises a series of closes marked by low turf-covered banks and includes at least two hut-circles, one embanked and 17ft. across with an entrance on the east, and the other, slightly sunken, 20ft across. Between the hut-circles a stretch of track runs for 30 yards east-west and opens into a close. (For similar settlement nearby see SY 97 NE 62). Plan. <1>

SY 957780. Romano-British farmstead on Kingston Down. Scheduled (Protected by Preservation Order).
(Scheduling includes the 'Celtic' field system - SY 97 NE 28 and the settlement - SY 97 NE 62). <2>

The site was surveyed by staff of RCHME in June 1993, for further information see archive report. <3>

Earthworks associated with this and the adjacent settlemet (MDO7451) are mapped from aerial photographs and lidar during the Wild Purbeck Mapping Project <4-5>.

<1> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 510 (Monograph). SDO150.

‘(221) SETTLEMENT, prehistoric or Romano-British (SY 97 NE; 957781; Plate 235), covers up to 6 acres just over 400 ft. above O.D. on the almost flat, exposed top of the limestone coastal plateau. It comprises a series of closes marked by low turf-covered banks and includes at least two hut-circles, one embanked and 17 ft. across with an entrance on the E., and another, slightly sunken, 20 ft. across. Between the hut-circles a stretch of track runs for 30 yds. E.-W. and opens into a close.’

<2> Department of the Environment, 1977, Department of the Environment (IAM) Ancient Monuments of England (Vol 1), 79 (Monograph). SWX2598.

<3> D McOmish, N Smith, J Donachie, RCHME Field Investigation 21-25-JUN-1993, 21-25-JUN-1993 (Unpublished document). SWX2771.

<4> Channel Coastal Observatory, 20-JUL-2008, CCO Aerial Photographic Coverage 2008 (Aerial Photograph). SDO12674.

<5> National Monuments Record, 26-OCT-1999, NMR SY9578/13-14 (NMR 18610/ 01-2) (Aerial Photograph). SDO13379.

<6> Papworth, M D J, Trust for Wessex Archaeology, 1983, Isle of Purbeck Survey, IOP 49 (Index). SDO147.

'Site lies in permanent pasture. The earthworks are visible. OS SY97NE50. AP British Gas Corp.//1979//Oblique, 9163-7, 11, 14, 16, 21, 22, 24, 25, 9164-18, 9165-2, 3, 6, 9, 12, 13. 1/3/C.'

<7> Historic England, Historic England Archive, AF0929511 (Index). SDO14738.

RCHME: Kingston Down, Westhill Farm, Dorset. The survey of the Romano-British settlement was carried out by RCHME Salisbury and Southampton University in June 1993, as a training excercise.Contents : 4 plansCondition : INTACT

<8> National Record of the Historic Environment, 456502 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Dec 7 2022 4:07PM