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November 2020                       November 2020

 long vegetation will reduce further and we look forward to seeing a more varied
 array of plants and wildflowers.   BERE REGIS HISTORY SOCIETY

       “VILLA-5” Discovery at Bere Regis
 Conservation Working Parties
       At the end of the long hot summer of 2018 a number of
 Our first Saturday of the month Conservation Working Parties will be going ahead   crop-marks  appeared  in  the  fields  around  Bere  Regis.
 over the winter period. However, they are limited by the ‘rule of six’ and activities   After establishing their positions we looked at aerial photos
 arranged  to  observe  safe  social  distancing  at  all  times.  So,  we  will  not  be   from decades past and found them again, but not quite
 extending the normal open invite to the working parties. Instead, if you wish  to   so obviously in those images.
 attend  please  email  mike.n.g@outlook.com  Six  of  those  people  showing  an
 interest will  be then invited to attend.    Explorations began immediately and it was obvious from the beginning that what
       we had termed "Villa-5" was perhaps the most impressive. It was a building about

       36m (117 ft) long with two square structures at each end making a complex with
 Contact Us                                        a  total  length  of  70m  (230  ft).
                                                   The  Villa  itself  had  the  same
 If you would like to know more about the work of the  Wildlife and Environment      length  as  our  current  Parish
 Group or to be included on our e-mailing list, please contact:
                                                   church  and  the  square  "wings"
 Tony Bates at tonybates19@gmail.com / 01929 471563    to  the  Villa  were  perhaps  a
                                                   "kitchen  garden"  (south)  and  a
 Amy Yates at AmyEyeats@hotmail.com or             family cemetery (North).

 Mike Gee at mike.n.g@outlook./com / 0775 988 4942   The  assumption  of  the  burial
                                                   ground  was  based  on  surface
                                                   finds   of   Black-Burnish   ware
                                                   pottery  the  same  as  that
                                                   already found on the Barrow Hill
 Dorchester                                        b u r i a l    g r o u n d    a l r e a d y
                                                   discovered. Since that time non-
 Framing                                           invasive  exploration  involving
                                                   surface   field-walks   have
 Picture and framing service
                                                   revealed many finds associated
 with a wide selection of                          with  “Villa-5”  including  building
 mounts and frames.                                materials  and  domestic  pottery
 Open most days but best                           from the First to Fifth century.
 call first before making a                        The   plan   shown   here   is
 special trip.                                     compared  to  our  Parish  church
                                                   to  show  the  size  of  the  Roman
 joan@dorchesterframing.com
                                                   Villa,  and  perhaps  to  indicate

                                                   the significance of this new find.
 The Old School House

 Tincleton DT2 8QR

 01305 848909



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