Monument record MDO7919 - Roman occupation, Kingswood Farm, Studland

A Romano-British or medieval rectangular building located during ploughing in 1952. Finds of building material, Romano British pottery and medieval pottery were also recovered. The finds are now in Dorset County Museum.

Remains of a rectangular floor (approx 12 x 14 yards) composed of sandstone blocks, without traces of mortaring, were discovered at SY 99818200 during ploughing in August 1952. There were no traces of external walls but a few, much-weathered tiles of Purbeck stone were found in the vicinity. About 20 yards to the north at SY 99818203, sherds of Romano British black pottery were noticed.

Field investigation on the site revealed a few sherds of yellow glazed pottery and also pieces of Purbeck stone roofing tile. Some of the stone blocks (see above) had been removed to the boundary ditch on the east side of the field; these were of regular shape although of varying size, averaging 1 x 2ft approx. <1>

There is no conclusive evidence as to the nature of the site but it would appear most probable that the building was a small medieval dwelling or steading. The Romano British sherds may be foreign to the building, the Purbeck roofing tiles being of post-Roman constructional form. <2>

The floor and occupation debris found at SY 99828201 are listed under Roman. Evidently other Roman sherds were found here in 1958. Now in Dorset County Museum. <3-4>

Elford, W, Oral: W Elford Kingswood Farm Studland (Verbal communication). SDO19656.

<1> Lucas, Vincent Earl, 1952, Field Investigators Comments VEL, F1 VEL 19-DEC-52 (Unpublished document). SWX3391.

<1.1> Elford, W, Oral: W Elford Kingswood Farm Studland (Verbal communication). SDO19656.

<2> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F2 NVQ 21-DEC-52 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<3> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1968, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1967, 146 (Serial). SDO67.

‘(v) Kingswood Farm, Studland (SY 99828204); a few sherds, including one of the 3rd or 4th century, found close to the site apparently of a rectangular floor (99828201) discovered in ploughing c. 1953.’

<4> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 609 (Monograph). SDO150.

<5> Papworth, M D J, Trust for Wessex Archaeology, 1983, Isle of Purbeck Survey, IOP 113 (Index). SDO147.

‘The site lies in a field occasionally ploughed and in ley pasture when visited.’

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 456753 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Mar 16 2023 2:53PM