Monument record MDO7478 - Romano-British occupation, Corfe Castle

Building and occupation debris, including waste from the manufacture of shale armlets, excavated in 1954 at SY 94277898. The building, aligned approx N-S, was rectangular, probably thatched, and surface rubble suggested it may have stood within a compound. A rectangular cist 4 ft by 2 ft by 1 1/2 ft deep, sunk from floor level inside the north wall footings, contained five prepared shale discs and twenty-seven lathe cores. Surface finds included other cores, flint lathe tools, and RB pottery of the 1st or 2nd century to 4th century as well as Iron Age 'A' sherds and reject armlets. Ploughing in the area of a low mound at SY 94367911 has revealed stone paving slabs, Romano-British sherds and some shale, including an armlet rough-out. <1-5>

Most of the upper part of a quern was found at this site in 1981. It is similar to one from Maiden Castle (Wheeler 1943 p.325 fig 114 No.9) but has a less concave lower surface and not such a clear internal ring. Petrological analysis suggests it is older than the local Wealden rocks. <6>

There are no earthwork remains of this settlement, which is situated on a ridge top and regularly cultivated. <8>

<1> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1955, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1953, 69 (Serial). SDO53.

<2> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1956, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1954, 80-81 (Serial). SDO54.

<3> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1967, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1966, 114-5 (Serial). SDO66.

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

‘The Romano-British site near Encombe obelisk, Corfe Castle. Mr. P. A. Brown notes further ploughing at the site recorded in the Proceedings, Vol. 76 (1954), pp. 80-1, and in Mr. Calkin's note above. About 180yds. N.N.E. of the rectangular building excavated in 1954, at about SY 94367911 on the line of the fence E. fo the footpath to Swyre Head, a low mound in the 'Celtic' field area, containing limestone rubble, is surrounded by a circular spread of stones about 60 yds. across. The stones seem concentated in the mound and on the perimeter of the spread. On the N.E. fringe of the stony area, 50 ft. E. of the fence, ploughing revealed stone slabs clearly belonging to a floor; on investigation these proved to rest on a compact base of limestone chippings. The area exposed, some 10ft. by 6ft. seemed to be defined on the S.W. by four slabs set on edge, and on the N. by the positive lynchet of a 'Celtic' field. The E. side was probably destroyed by ploughing. A few small Romano-British sherds and a broken hand-cut shale armlet rough-out were found. The stony area to the S. was littered with ploughed-up coarse ware sherds, including bead-rim types and shale.’

<5> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 599-600 (Monograph). SDO150.

A building and occupation debris including waste from the manufacture of turned shale armlets, were excavated in 1954 about 550 yards from Encombe Obilisk, on the upper north slope of a limestone ridge above the 500ft contour. The building aligned approximately north-south towards the south-west corner of a Celtic field, was rectangular 51 feet by 20 to 25 feet and probably thatched. Surface rubble indicates that this building may have stood inside a compound…
A rectangular (storage) cist, about 4 feet by 2 feet and 1.5 feet deep sunk from floor level beside the north wall-footings and floored and lined on the three outer sides with flagstones may have been an addition. It contained five prepared shale discs and 27 lathe-cores of Calkins class C. Surface finds included similar cores of A and B, flint lathe tools and pottery of 1st or 2nd century as well as Iron-Age ‘A’ sherds and a few rejects from a hand cut armlet industry.

<6> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1982, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1981, 123 (Serial). SDO81.

<7> Papworth, M D J, Trust for Wessex Archaeology, 1983, Isle of Purbeck Survey, IOP 66 (Index). SDO147.

<8> Barton, J G, Various, Field Investigators Comments JGB, F1 NVQ 01-MAY-86 (Unpublished document). SDO11900.

<9> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB89/05385 (Index). SDO14738.

SHALE BUTTONS

<10> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB89/05386 (Index). SDO14738.

HEARTH

<11> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB89/05387 (Index). SDO14738.

CIST AGAINST N. WALL OF BUILDING

<12> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB89/05388 (Index). SDO14738.

ANOTHER VIEW OF NW CORNER, PROBABLY FLAG FLOOR

<13> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB89/05389 (Index). SDO14738.

NW CORNER OF BUILDING ASSOCIATED WITH SHALE BRACELET

<14> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB89/05390 (Index). SDO14738.

POTS IN CIST GRID HEARTH

<15> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB89/05391 (Index). SDO14738.

1/2 QUERNSTONE,L. RO ROOF TILE (T), STONE MORTAR,R. DEPOSITORY: EASTGATE, CORFE CASTLE

<16> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB89/05392 (Index). SDO14738.

STORAGE PIT

<17> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB89/05393 (Index). SDO14738.

STORAGE PIT FROM NORTH

<17> National Record of the Historic Environment, 456512 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

<18> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB89/05394 (Index). SDO14738.

FOUNDATION COURSE OF WALL

<19> National Record of the Historic Environment, 456517 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Oct 11 2023 2:15PM