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Summary

The A35 between Charmouth and Axminster broadly follows the line of a Roman road. Although it has been suggested that the line of the road between Dorchester and Exeter ran to the north of Bridport and Charmouth this does not preclude there also being a road via Charmouth. Metalling from the Charmouth road was observed at Burrowshot Cross in 1990 and the line of the Roman road can be seen where it deviates from the modern road as the road descends from here.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY39NW/10

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ROAD (Constructed, Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

Road marked as a Roman Road. The section from Charmouth to just north of Penn lies within Dorset, the section between Penn and Greenway Head marks the county boundary, the final section is within Devon.

Margary, I. D., 1967, Roman Roads in Britain, 114 (Monograph). SDV24025.

Its appears that the Roman road from Dorchester divided at Charmouth, one route continuing along the coast, the other turning north via Penn and Burrowshot Cross to Axminster. The remains of the Roman road survive as a hollow way and the earthwork of an agger across fields to the right of the main road, as the latter descends from Burrowshot Cross. The Roman road continues in a straight line along a lane [the former western end of Cookbury Lane] and straight across to Woodbury Lane.

Fox, H. S. A., 1970, The Boundary of Uplyme, 42, Fig. 1 (Article in Serial). SDV120527.

The A373 [now A35] is referred to as the red way in a Saxon charter of AD938 and in a survey of the Manor of Uplyme dated 1516. The name is perpetuated in Red Cross. The later document also refers to 'Borosheet', now Burrowshot Cross.

Frere, S. S., 1991, Roman Britain in 1990, 281 (Article in Serial). SDV118217.

Metalling of the Dorchester to Exeter Roman road was observed in 1990 at Burrowshot Cross.

Simpson, S. J., 1993, Axminster bypass 1990 trial excavations at Cooks Lane to Burrowshot Cross (Report - Excavation). SDV324469.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey, 17, Part 1; 119-120, Part 2: Gazetteer, Site No. 433 (Report - Survey). SDV101648.

The A35 is on the line of the Dorchester to Exeter Roman road. Metalling of the Roman road was seen during excavations at Burrowshot Cross in 1990. The road (SY 3156 9645) is referred to in a Saxon charter dated 938, and a later survey of the manor of Uplyme in 1516. Both documents refer to it as the Red Way (Red Cross on this road perpetuates the name.) The latter document also refers to ‘Borosheet’ from which Burrowshot (Cross) derives. The road lies to north of survey area.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey, Site No. 433 (Archive - Survey). SDV358490.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey, Site No. 433 (Report - Survey). SDV359019.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003-2004, East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Archaeological Survey, No. 2929 (Archive - Survey). SDV351568.

Metalling seen during excavation at Burrowshot Cross.

Toller, H., 2014, The Roman Road from Dorchester to Exeter (Article in Serial). SDV358042.

LiDAR and satellite imagery has provided evidence for a new 24km length of the Roman road between Yondover and Axminster, suggesting that the road ran to the north of Bridport. See article for details.

Ordnance Survey, 2016, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV359352.

A35 marked.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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