Site-index
Mortars
Inscriptions
Roofing
Paving
Architectural
Occupation-sites
Contents of Database
The author's page
Structural building items, of functional design (ornamental stuff
goes in Architectural Items, and rough
building material in Unclassified).
© Copyright John Palmer.
This is work in progress, last updated 2016-12-13.
Please use this link
to send me comments and suggestions.
Drains and tanks (for burial cists, see
the Uninscribed monuments section)-
- name Wadham House (Dorchester) conduit slabs
- site Dorchester, Wadham House, 1968
- grid SY 690 907
- publ Draper and Chaplin 1982
p.5
- publ Durham and Fulford 2014 p.10ff
- desc In the bottom of the conduit were found parts of two slabs of
Purbeck limestone, the larger measuring 52cm by 35cm by 6cm.
These are considered to be collapsed parts of the capping of the conduit
(p.7).
The conduit appears to be a continuation of that sectioned
by Drew in 1938 p.64-65, pl.IX.
- desc Durham and Fulford: HER monument number 227b
- loc unknown
- subst Excavators: PL
- date Coin of Vespasian found in mortar of conduit lining, by
Drew 1938 p.64-65,
suggests construction in late 1st century
-
- name Rockbourne PL Drain
- site Rockbourne villa, Hants
- grid SU 120 170
- publ
Morley Hewitt AT 1965
- desc N side of Room I (apodyterium probably): drain formed
of Purbeck stone; a later repair of Purbeck stone tiling on the S
side is in situ
- subst PL
- date
Room I is in Lower Bath Complex, prob. of late C2 construction
- comment probably from
Tisbury outcrop
-
- name Bucknowle trough
- site Bucknowle, Corfe Castle, 1976-1991
- grid SY 954 815
- source Light and Ellis 2009 p.120 no.23, and Plate 29
- desc Limestone trough or channel, 1.52m long,
externally 0.27m wide and 0.12m deep,
channel 0.09m wide and 0.06m deep.
Upturned in area 3.5, Period 6 (late Roman to medieval).
- loc DORCM (Light and Ellis 2009 p.7)
- subst assumed PL because this is local
- date late/post-Roman to medieval
- comment Next item may be another reference to the same structure
-
- name Bucknowle drain
- cat DOUBTFUL
- site Bucknowle Farm villa
- grid SY 954 418
- source RB in 1990, Britannia 22 (1991) p.283
- desc ...North of these a stone-lined drain...The principal
part of this was lined with limestone slabs, but the eastern end was
lined with chalk blocks laid in herringbone style
- comment Perhaps the same object as Bucknowle Trough
Hypocausts (under-floor heating) and Driers-
- name Tarrant Hinton
- site Tarrant Hinton
- grid ST 927 118
- source Graham A 2006 p.58
- desc Room 3 ... 20ft square internally ... hypocaust of cruciform channelled
type, four flues to the corners ... meeting at the centre, with a fifth ...
leading ... to the site of the stokehole. The flues ... cut below the
surface of a platform levelled into the natural chalk ... maintained an
average depth ... varied greatly in width ... not accurately aligned ...
half inch screed of mortar along the sides and bottom, then roofed with
thick slabs of Purbeck stone which were supported at the centre intersection
by ... column of mortared Purbeck stone 1.5ft diam. 1.75ft high.
- subst PL
- comment see also
roofing,
mortars,
tesserae,
architectural stone,
inscription,
from this site
-
- name Woodcuts hearths
- site Woodcuts
- grid ST 963 181
- publ Pitt-Rivers A 1887,
Excavations on Cranborne Chase vol.1,
p.10
- desc ``In the NW quarter, several narrow trenches, formed up
at the ends with flagstones of Purbeck shale, were discovered, and
which, from the traces of ashes and fire about them, appeared to be
hearths''
- subst PL
- comment `Purbeck shale' is used here and
elsewhere
by Pitt-Rivers to mean
a limestone, probably thin-bedded; this is clear from
his description of PL rooftiles.
He uses the words `Kimmeridge shale'
to describe articles that are clearly of the latter material
-
- name Woodcuts supposed hypocaust
- site Woodcuts
- grid ST 963 181
- publ Pitt-Rivers A 1887,
Excavations on Cranborne Chase vol.1,
p.29 and pl.VI no.1
- desc ``1. Plan and section of
supposed hypocaust.
The trench was lined throughout with slabs of
Purbeck shale,
the positions of which showed that they must originally have formed a flue
with flags on each side, and others forming capstones over them, but the
latter had fallen down in places. On the centre of the SW side was neck
similarly lined with slabs, showing marks of great heat, and this neck ran
into an oval depression cut in the chalk and without revetment, which had
in it also the traces of fire. This hypocaust has been roofed over to
preserve it.''
- subst PL
- comment The thing described is what later archaeologists have
called a `corn-drier'.
Ovens-
- name Redcliff Burr pot-drying ovens
- site Redcliff, Purbeck, 1975-83
- grid SY 934 866 approx
- source Lyne M 2002
- desc On a Late IA and RB pottery production site.
Two pot-drying ovens constructed from slabs of Purbeck burr-stone.
Oven 1 ... consisted of a circular setting of five vertical slabs, 0.50m
diameter, with two cover stones. This stone oven was set in a hollow 0.45m
deep and had an opening for insertion of fuel in its south side. The pattern
of burning on the surfaces ... indicates that the oven had been rebuilt at
least once. Oven 2 ... 1.50m south of oven 1 ... similar type and size ...
constructed of only three, more widely spaced, vertical slabs and had its
opening on the west.
- loc If preserved, DCM, probably acc.no. 1994.26
- subst Burr (PL)
- date Site phase 3, 200-220 AD
- cont P Woodward, DCM
-
-
-
- name Broadmayne Oven
- site Broadmayne, c.1967
- grid SY 727 867
- source Young D 1973 p.46-47 fig.8
- desc `Keyhole' oven ...
mainly of limestone from the Purbeck and Portland beds
- subst PL
- date from assoc. samian pottery: late C2 or C3
- comment Young compares the ovens at Colliton Park
(1,
5)
-
- name Bestwall oven floor
- site Bestwall, Wareham, 1992-2005
- grid SY 94 86 approx.
- source Ladle 2012 p.174 and p.252
- desc A large perforated slab of PL from pit Z244
may have been used as a kiln oven floor.
Context Z245, sf Z12, Fig.162 p.252 no.20;
overall about 300x400mm, many small holes apparently 5--30mm diameter.
- loc probably DORCM
- subst PL
- date undated, likely to be Roman
Padstones (stone bases for timber uprights)-
- name Windmill Knap Padstones
- site Windmill Knap, Langton Matravers, 1969-70
- grid SZ 0092 8005 approx.
- source Mark Helfer, pers. comm. 2004-06-28
- publ Brown PA 1969
- desc Four blocks of limestone with rectangular sockets for the feet
of posts. One is described by Brown; the remainder are from the same
site, either found during Brown's excavations or else on the site during
the following winter. Photos (by JP):
A,
B,
C,
B and C,
D (at Museum), front view,
D, front, ruler is 16cm overall,
D, top.
- loc 3 at Knitson Old Farmhouse, one at Langton Matravers Museum (currently
outside the front door to the left)
- subst probably PL
- date Roman (from RB occupation site)
- cont Mark Helfer
-
- name Ower Padstones
- site Ower
- grid SY 99 85
- source
Woodward PJ 1993 p.146
- publ
Sunter and Woodward 1987 p.104-5
- desc Building materials, architectural fragments and misc. stone
objects, by P Cox and P Woodward: p.104-5: post-padstones. Fig. 33.
15 heavy blocks had been used as socketed supports for structural uprights.
... Post-padstones of limestone: 2 were used set below the 2 main door-jambs
in the first phase of the building, and later replaced by sandstone socketed
stones. Both about 52 by 40 by 10cm; only one has a circular hole (10cm diam)
cut through it perhaps for drainage but might have been from a previous use.
- loc DCM ?
- subst limestone
- comment Report continues: see also
roofing tiles
at Ower site
-
-
- name Bucknowle doorways
- site Bucknowle villa, Corfe Castle
- grid SY 9545 8154
- publ see
Bucknowle villa
- desc Several doorways with stone sockets for doorposts;
also stone sockets for timber division in (?aisled) building.
- desc Doorway in bath-house, Building 3, room 3.2 south side,
AD 150-250 (site period 4).
Light and Ellis 2009
fig.15 p.26, maybe F319. Described on p.27:
`threshold composed of a single limestone block with
two sockets on its east side to take the door frame'.
- desc Doorway with a large socket-stone having two sockets, F373,
building 8, 250-300AD (site period 5A),
Light and Ellis 2009
p.36 and fig.17 p.31.
- desc Socket stones, F405, for an internal division in building 13.1,
4th century (site period 5B),
Light and Ellis 2009
pl.34 and fig.21 p.43.
- desc Doorways in Building 1, 4th century extension on the N side:
Light and Ellis 2009
plate 25 shows doorway F382, which is on display at Wareham public library,
in the garden at the back.
(Keen, Dorset Archaeology in
1977 p.120 and
1978 p.112.)
It consists of two post-bases, each with two square sockets of about 60mm side,
and between them two stones end-to-end making a threshold with a distinct
ledge (for the door to shut against).
Building 1, rooms 1.7 to 1.8, 300-400 AD.
Light and Ellis 2009
plate 26 shows doorways F384 and F385. From these the threshold blocks
are missing, or were never present.
Location plan,
Light and Ellis 2009
fig.18 p.34.
- loc Doorway F382 at Wareham public library, seen in 2003 and October 2009.
The rest, presumably DORCM
(Light and Ellis 2009 p.7)
- subst PL
-
-
-
-
-
Walling-
- name Dorchester town wall
- site Dorchester, Albert Street, 1951
- grid SY 69 90
- publ Farrar RAH 1955
- desc Part of the Roman town wall, still standing. Mrs J E Morey,
Petrological Dept of Geological Survey and Museum, says: "specimen 1, grey
compact crystalline limestone containing small shell fragments and ostracod
remains. Specimen 2, rock is an orange-stained crystalline limestone
composed of numerous shell frags in a calcite matrix. I am told
(JP's emphasis) that both these specimens are from the Purbeck Beds and
they appear similar to two specimens in [our] collections that come from
Swanage." 2 other specimens were sent to Mrs Morey and one was closer
to a specimen from Portesham; Dr Arkell [notes that Upwey is a lot
closer than Purbeck to the wall site.]
- subst Morey: PL
-
- name Druce Farm pillar
- site Druce Farm, near Puddletown, Dorset, 2013
- grid SY 745 954
- source Lilian Ladle, in lecture
- desc Square pillar in dressed PL,
in early levels of villa, below later walling
- loc in situ as found
- subst PL
- date ?c. 150 AD?
- comment See also mosaic and
roofing
on same site
- cont Lilian Ladle
-
-
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