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Summary

A stretch of the Dorchester to Exeter Roman Road excavated near Yarty Bridge in 1990.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY29NE/34/5

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ROAD (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD) + Sci.Date

Full description

Weddell, P. J. + Holbrook, N., 1987, A35 Axminster By-pass Report on Trial Archaeological Excavations and Documentary Research 1987, 4-5 (Report - Assessment). SDV99942.

For previous attempts to locate road see Weddell & Holbrook (1987) and Frere (1988).

Frere, S. S., 1988, Roman Britain in 1987. Sites Explored, 471-2 (Article in Serial). SDV99889.

Griffith, F. M., 1990, DAP/TG, 11-13 (Aerial Photograph). SDV124136.

Weddell, P. J., 1991, Archaeological Appraisal of Potential Development Areas in Axminster and its Environs (Report - Assessment). SDV99927.

A stretch of the Dorchester to Exeter Roman Road excavated near Yarty Bridge in 1990, in advance of the new Axminster bypass. Other details: Frontpiece + plates.

Weddell, P. J. + Reed, S. J. + Simpson, S. J., 1993, Excavation of the Exeter-Dorchester Roman Road at the River Yarty and the Roman Fort Ditch and Settlement Site at Woodbury, Near Axminster., 41 (Article in Serial). SDV99887.

Road survived in remarkably good state of preservation. 240m length located, but not fully excavated. Constructed of local waterworn chert and river gravels, set into a fairly loose grey-brown sandy matrix laid directly onto the existing ground surface. Thickness of make-up varied considerably, partly due to the effects of later erosion. Maximum width observed in 2 trenches, where it extended to 20.25m wide. It probably stood up to 0.60m above surrounding ground level. Contemporary erosion observed in several places. The N side of the road had been most frequently repaired, and this area may have been vulnerable to intermittent flooding. The section E of the Yarty had not been effected by river erosion and was in a good state of preservation, with a fine compact secondary gravel surface. No definite roadside ditches detected. A small collection of Roman sherds recovered from make-up in Trench 3.

Green, T., 2010, Land at Kilmington Devon: Results of a Desk-Based Assessment, 6 (Report - Assessment). SDV351550.

The turnpike road follows the line of the Roman road.

English Heritage, 2013, Radiocarbon Dates from Samples Funded by English Heritage Between 1988 and 1993, 14 (Report - Scientific). SDV351472.

Samples submitted in 1993 from sealed context beneath an alluvial soil upon which the Roman road was built yielded calibrated radiocarbon dates of 1620-1440 BC and 1690-1410 BC, another from a watercourse gave calibrated dates of 1620-1410 BC and 1740-1310 BC.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV844 - Archaeological appraisal of potential development areas in Axminster and its environs

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