Dating, but not blind

Wessex Archaeology's Loraine Mepham kindly dated our finds from Trench 1, Yenston yesterday and they show plenty of activity in the area during the medieval period.

This material was from the spoilheap and consists of 11th century Blackdown Hills ware, 13th-15th century West Dorset and Verwood wares and Late Medieval sandy coarse wares, plus a piece of BBW. 

This small fragment of Roman mortarius is of a type from Oxfordshire and also turned up in the spoil along with the 18th century finger decorated pot below. 

This material came from a linear feature [015] fill (016) and is medieval coarse wares of the 12th-13th centuries and made locally.   

In the topsoil 11th-12th-13th century coarse wares were found along with post-medieval material. 

These bones could be pigeon or dove. Medieval priories commonly kept doves.

So all in all, the material in and around this field indicates medieval activity that could be due to the priory being nearby, so we shall continue to look for the buildings.  

AGM 2018

At the AGM Chris gave a revue of the work carried out in 2017. Our current account is healthy so we will have the pottery from Yenston looked at and dated by the expert at Wessex Archaeology. We have a couple of new committee members! Projects for 2018 are: carry on looking for The Priory at Yenston; geophiz the mansion house site for Stalbridge History Soc. and look to begin excavating in the Spring; have a place at Wimborne History Festival with 'Doug' etc.; begin to look at projects on the Symondsbury Estate, Bridport; do research at the Dorset History Centre; share events and outings in partnership with other archaeology and history groups. Lots to do in 2018.