Roman Settlement · Civilian

Dorn

Roman Britain
Pleiades ID: 79425
Site type
Settlement
Category
Civilian
Latitude
51.9894
Longitude
-1.7034
Overview

History & context

Dorn was a small Romano-British roadside settlement in northern Gloucestershire, situated on the Fosse Way a few miles north of Moreton-in-Marsh. Active from the later 1st through the 4th century AD, it developed as a minor nucleated settlement of the kind typical along this major military and commercial road, with evidence suggesting some defended enclosure in the later Roman period.

Source: Pleiades — A Community-Built Gazetteer and Graph of Ancient Places. View the Pleiades record →

Significance

Historical significance

Its position on the Fosse Way gave it a role as a local service centre and probable posting or market point between Cirencester (Corinium) and Bourton-on-the-Water/Halford, in a region of intensive villa settlement in the Cotswolds. The presence of a probable walled enclosure distinguishes it from many smaller roadside hamlets and suggests some administrative or strongpoint function in the late Roman period.

Archaeology

Archaeological record

Aerial photography and surface survey have revealed an enclosed area of roughly 3–4 hectares with traces of internal streets and buildings, together with finds of coins, pottery, and building material indicating occupation into the 4th century. No major modern excavation has been published, and the internal layout, status, and chronology of the defences remain poorly understood.

About this site

Questions & answers

What is Dorn?

Dorn was a small Romano-British roadside settlement in northern Gloucestershire, situated on the Fosse Way a few miles north of Moreton-in-Marsh. It is recorded in the Pleiades gazetteer of ancient places as a settlement site from the Roman period in Britain.

What type of Roman site is Dorn?

Dorn is classified as a Roman settlement — a civilian site in the Pleiades ancient world gazetteer. Roman Britain's archaeology encompasses thousands of sites ranging from legionary fortresses and marching camps to villas, temples and towns.

What other Roman sites are near Dorn?

Several Roman sites lie within a short distance, including Roman small town at Dorn (1.5 km), Broadwell Roman villa 300yds (275m) NW of church (4.5 km), Romano-British cemetery and settlement site (6.1 km). Aubrey Research maps over 2,200 Roman sites across Britain, drawn from the Pleiades ancient world gazetteer.

How can I research the history of the area around Dorn?

Aubrey Research generates detailed historical reports for any location in Britain, incorporating Roman heritage, Domesday Book records, scheduled monument data, archaeological finds and much more. Enter a nearby address to begin.

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