THE THESIS - 1970s by Richard Whaley The Roman Road out of Dorchester makes a lot of effort to keep to high ground on the edge of the downs. It seemed unlikely it would then plunge down into difficult country through Bridport and Charmouth to reach the known route from Axminster.
A route was charted keeping to high ground and the edge of Marshwood Vale, just south of Beaminster, and along modern B roads to Axminster. I explored this last B road route first. I found these B roads occupied a small part of a much larger terrace construction, generally c 40' wide. In a short stretch to Stoke Knap (ST444 015) not on modern roads, massive but very damaged engineering was found.
At Stoke Knap the evidence did not go straight on as expected, nor South, but unexpectedly clearly went North over Horn Hill to north of Beaminster. Once there it was clear where the route would go, to connect up with the earlier charted route - thus the second part of this 1970s investigation was to link up from Eggardon to Horn Hill.
This second part of the 1970s investigation started at Two Gates, near Eggardon Camp (SY552 938), where Margary's route leaves the downs and descends to Bridport which I have examined recently. This part was on or near the charted route, mainly on tarred bye roads, sometimes tracks or footpaths - occasionally these may take a detour and the line may pass through a few fields for short distances. This makes surveying much easier, for we only have to add engineering structures to OS maps on the routes they show, measuring from identifiable features.
There are some two dozen engineered structures on this route to Horn Hill, which also show 40' terrace constructions. This width can be traced all the way on Margary route 4 from London to Two Gates, and along our route until it crosses the Foss Way at Axminster. After this terraces are the more usual 20' - 30' (as they are on the route via Bridport). This suggests an original military purpose. But it is still followed by modern routes almost all the way, and is heavily damaged on sloping ground, and is a candidate for being the main Roman Road to Exeter.
Two excavations sites were identified, one on this second section. On the section to Stoke Knap, where the modern track leaves the Roman line, leaving a classically preserved agger. Someone had recently cut a drainage ditch through it, producing a perfect section. Possibly it could be cleaned up. This is near the known Roman Fort on Waddon Hill. I do not think the Road system went through the fort, but it stands on a corner, where the Road direction changes from easterly from Axminster to northerly to Horn Hill.
I will put my field records, which are very detailed, on the website www.hants.org.uk/rrexeter.htm in chunks sufficient for a days visit to the remains - starting at Two Gates.
The first part of the investigation on the B roads Beaminster - Axminster is entered in my note book "New Roman Roads" and dated May - August 1973, though contain additions through the 1970s. These are probably not the original field notes. The second part of the investigation was recorded on "backs of envelopes", clearly in the field - these were entered in the same note book in Dec 2009. There was also an assessment of what I found, and as someone then new to archaeology a decision not to try and tell anyone about the finds. However there was also a programme of work outlined to counter the assessment - much of which has not been completed, but could be undertaken in the present project. However having explored many Roman Roads in the following decades it is clear that the concentration of remains on this Dorset route is higher than most of those regarded as major and established, such as the Devil's Highway. As I am proposing to start the study from the last know remains from Dorchester at Two Gates, I am entering the records for the "second part" of my 1970s study first. [To go to the first part of my 1970s investigation, from Axminster to Stoke Knap and Horn Hill Click here]
Known Roman Road to "Two Gates" noted as similar to B3164 - 5 (Broadwindsor) - Axminster and Stoke Knap sections with the "Hollow way filled in".
Survey 2010 in Blue
Road NW from Two Gates may not be the Roman Road - 1st alignment windy - 2nd alignment from 546 944, leads back to Margary's route 549 929 where the parish boundary turns south - Margary's route up to this point massive - not so beyond - possibly main Roman Road goes across fields almost due north - no sign on air photo [ OS c 1970, 1973 techniques only]
OS Air Photo Film 69 053 No. 49. Photo copy Normal + 2 Darkness shows 2 parallel dark line from said 549 929 - either side of a barn - c80' apart, both clear to first field boundary. West dark line has weaker indications running into W side of 2nd alignment above. Enlarged photo copy Normal Darkness shows weak light line, quite broad, running out of barn merging with the modern lane of 2nd alignment c half way along c 30' wide, east side of this line tinged dark (not same as east dark line of darkest photo copy). Broad light line likely to be Road metalling, & 80' apart dark lines the side ditches.
Then gives 5 alignments over downs, all but 1 v straight, keeping to flat ground, little of aggers seen - but straight with wide verges - 60' with modern encroachments
Route continues - with several short alignments, most of which are clearly very straight, and makes a gentle climb from a low point of c 400'
Undergrowth thins to W, and verges continuing a wide dry level position raised a few feet above the marshy ground to W, making short "zig" to ease the gradient down the last part of the hill. Visited 30 May 2010: arrangement seems to be: Cut-back and stranded ledge on W, sunken lane on E; when ground become v steep stranded ledge degenerates in a hollow, but a broad stranded ledge appears on E of lane built-up on E - RR has shifted to E, one can postulate a Zig connecting the two, but could not now be seen. The build-up on E become huge towards bottom of valley - c 10' - and this line of build-up continues on other valley side Straight ahead almost on the same line (but for this slight displacement) a line of trees/hedgerows climbs the hill again, the modern road taking a detour to the W and rejoining it at the top of the hill 530 995.
It appears to be the remains of an agger terrace built up a few feet for a while on the W, and then becoming 6' or more on E - one of the few sections not still in use. The possible remains of a causeway takes over from the modern road at the bottom - 4' - 5' higher over low ground crossing a small stream - but not very wide - but goes straight across the stream. A ditch has been cut down much of the agger terrace (its a field boundary), in places a band of packed small limestones can be seen near the bottom, well below the surface. Whole is v overgrown but impressive in places - agger terrace being built up to provide characteristic uniform gradients. Field to W is under cultivation - and no other dimension visible - but a wide roadway would have existed. At top a ruined building exists on the line - some form of cutting would probably have been necessary here (possibly indications exist). but this later work probably obscures it. This whole line is shown on OS 1" as fine dots (possibly indicating boundary of rough pasture which exists on E. Detour may have been caused by failure of bridge over stream, or its causing a dam. [Possible excavation site to find blocked culvert, stream makes detour at crossing, and if it had become a dam it would quite likely broken through elsewhere - and also investigate the structure of the agger terrace, and compare it with that on Stoke Knapp - 533 993]. Visited 30 May 2010. The stream has been dug out under RR with a deep trench with several pottery pipes, some collapsed, taking the stream under modern lane and part of RR, dating from Victorian times - so excavation here not worth while. The huge E build-up on either side of trench continues up N valley side. Part way up several building terraces have been cut (buildings now abandoned) - cleaning up the N cut-back of 1 Terrace may provide RR section - NEED TO MEASURE LIKELY DEPTH. Ditch seen in 1970s silted up, and no stones seen. 14 Sept 10: excavation would go equivalent of 80 - 100cms - should be sufficient. To go outside any 84' side ditch would need to clean up 24m of a housing terrace cutback. Possibly 12 people including drawing - 2 or 3 day weekend.
At 517 007 a parish boundary joins possible line, going in 2 straight lengths - leaving a widening over grown gap between the modern road for half a mile - difficult to explore. Appears to be a wide level surface bounded by a bank with indications of a hollow way which becomes deep at the end. The road is placing itself to start to skirt round steepish valley. The bank builds up to 3' high, 15' wide, and with hollow way filled in would be remains of agger terrace 45' wide.
A made up road continues the general line with ?NE hedge removed, fairly wide verges. But on ground un-necessarily twisting - its objectives would be reached by a straight line (continuing alignment we have just left) running a little ?NE of present road in field on flat downland: possible of levelled platform suggests air photo could be useful. Air photo: the made up track continuing the alignment just left. Change of direction would then be required, and seems that farm has been built on this alignment, so moving present road slightly. Possible indications that modern track runs beside original, and rest of this general alignment continues satisfactorily. 2010 Note: Roman Roads coming down to us generally warped, especially when not anchored to engineering.
There is a very narrow bridge of high land connecting Horn Hill with Buckham Down, completing the circuit of the downs. (The A3066 tunnels underneath at its narrowest point.) The Roman Road crosses this bridge of land in 3 alignments from the summit of Horn Hill, which are clearly straight when viewed from outside their verges, which are for the most part 62' - 64' wide. These also form clear agger terraces, built-up 5' - 6' to the S in the first 2 alignments, and to the N in the last. The verges are v overgrown, but the 40' roadway is clear on investigation. The present roadway is narrow, fairly well made up track, which meanders a little within the 40' roadway, and probably outside it (to the S) in the last alignment. It is not generally significantly sunken all along here.
Just over the A3066 tunnel a section of the road to the N has been washed away (468 033), by what appears to be water draining off the present track just to the S. This has uncovered a carefully made dry stone culvert, covered over at the top with slabs of stone, and on the bottom. It is about 1/2 full of earth, but continues back as far as one can reach with a stick. It was found on the far extremity of the other side of the road, with water running into it. It was partly uncovered, or broken into, and appeared to end there. On a wet day it was found to be working, with water seeping through channels in the earth. Removal of earth indicated it was stone lined at the bottom, and its construction was as in the section below.
It was 1.5 - 2' below the ground, and where it is now visible is not a road but waste ground, so it is difficult to see it being a recent construction (although a few ft in front of its present opening a brick wall has been constructed to prevent further erosion. It looks very much like a Roman drainage culvert, partially still working (see above). This culvert was found again in 2010 by the Dorset Roman Occupation Group, but in a much more damaged state.
The 3rd alignment then merges with the modern road (branching off from A3066), continuing a series of straight alignments across Buckham Down (2010 note: Alignments 18 - 21 from Eggardon), and joins up with the route found in the second part of this investigation, leading back over the downs to Eggardon Camp (2010 note: This second part of the 1970s investigation is transcribed first in this reproduction of the 1970s field notes).
Sept 78 Stone blocked up drain, perfect channel, walls straight and true, to other side of road -
half filled with mud