Monument record MDO7467 - Brenscombe Farm Villa, Corfe Castle

A Roman villa uncovered by excavation in 1961 and 1967. Remains of two mosaic pavements were found and surface finds of brick, roof and flue tile, some pottery.

SY 97898272 Brenscombe Farm. Villa. Remains of two mosaic pavements were found in 1961 and 1967 about 500 yds N of the foot of the chalk downs some 150ft above sea level. The first pavement was made up of 1/2 inch tesserae of chalk and brown ferruginous sandstone. The second was "a superior mosaic with a foliate scroll". Roman brick, roof and flue tile, tesserae, a few sherds of Samian and some coarse ware of the 3rd or 4th century were found on the site. <1> <3> <6>

two coins found - Claudius II AD 268-70 and Tetricus I AD 270-3. <4>

Mosaic pavement exposed by farmer when digging a post hole for a fence around the site. Metal crucible (?) about 3 inch high found nearby. <5>

SY 979827. Roman site north of Brenscombe Farm. Scheduled. <8>

DO 8 Listed as the site of a Roman villa possibly involved in the working of Kimmeridge shale. It produced a shale disc which may have been a waste core. <10>

Mr K Standing remembers working on the excavation, and there being evidence for metal working, a mosaic pavement north of the building and Human Remains (possibly post-Roman). <11>

<1> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1963, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1962, 113-114 (Serial). SDO62.

<2> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1963, Monuments Threatened or Destroyed. A Select List: 1956-1962, 14 (Monograph). SDO12558.

‘CORFE CASTLE. BRENSCOMBE FARM [SY 978827] Roman villa, probable, indicated by surface finds and disturbed tessellated pavement.’

<3> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1964, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1963, 103 (Serial). SDO63.

<4> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1967, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1966, 120 (Serial). SDO66.

<5> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1968, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1967, 144 (Serial). SDO67.

‘Mr. P. A. Brown reports that a mosaic pavement was partly exposed by the farmer, Mr. Best, when digging a post-hole for a fence around the site of the recently discovered Roman villa at Brenscombe, now a scheduled ancient monument (Proceedings, Vol. 84. p. 113; 85, p. 103; 88, p. 120). A photograph of the exposure by Mr. Felton shows a 2-strand guilloche bordering what seems to be a foliate scroll of a pavement of superior character. Mr. Brown has a metal crucible (?) about 3 ins high found by him nearby.’

<6> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 598 (Monograph). SDO150.

<7> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1976, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1975, 67 (Serial). SDO75.

<8> Department of the Environment, 1978, Department of the Environment (IAM) Ancient Monuments of England (Vol 2), 78 (Monograph). SWX1687.

<9> Papworth, M D J, Trust for Wessex Archaeology, 1983, Isle of Purbeck Survey, IOP 59 (Index). SDO147.

‘The exact extent of the villa is unknown, PDNHAS, 89(1967), 144 mentions that a mosaic was found when the scheduled area was being fenced off, and therefore would appear that the villa extends beyond the area presently scheduled. The fenced in part of the site is in permanent pasture, the surrounding fields are in ley pasture, probably ploughed every 2-3 years. British Gas Corp. oblique AP/1979/9172-14 and 1981/12847-12,16. 3/4/C.’

<10> Scott, E, 1993, A Gazetteer of Roman villas in Britain, 51, No 1 (Bibliographic reference). SWX1795.

<11> Standing, Ken, Email correspondence from Mr K Standing, 23-APR-2013 (Verbal communication). SDO19661.

<12> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, Externally held archive: RCH01/093 RCHME Inventory: Dorset II (South-East) (Unpublished document). SDO17434.

<13> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB89/05395 (Index). SDO14738.

MOSAIC FLOOR, PART OF EXCAVATION

<14> Historic England, Historic England Archive, P04218 and P04219 (Index). SDO14738.

GENERAL VIEW AFTER SOME CLEARANCE HAD TAKEN PLACE. Donor: UNKNOWNOriginal negative held by: UNKNOWN

<15> Historic England, Historic England Archive, P04220 (Index). SDO14738.

MOSAIC REVEALED IN EXCAVATION FOR FENCE OF MOW SCHEDULED AREA. Donor: UNKNOWNOriginal negative held by: UNKNOWN

<16> National Record of the Historic Environment, 456839 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Oct 18 2024 1:30PM