158 THE ROMAN OCCUPATION OF WAREHAM. 



On the 8th day of March, 1899, a ood discovery was made in 

 the cemetery. At a depth of about 6 feet, 16 fragments of 

 Roman pottery were unearthed, representing five different vessels. 

 One of these fragments is very dark and of superior make ; some 

 of the pieces of grey pottery are the largest I have yet seen 

 unearthed in Wareham. One bears a rude design which seems to 

 have been made by engraver's tools ; some others are discoloured 

 by smoke. With the above were three fragments of a much 

 lighter pottery, which Mr. B. A. Hogg pronounced to be very 

 good Norman. These represent three vessels, the tips of which 

 had been ornamented by the potter's fingers. All these are in 

 the possession of Mr. J. B. C. Best. 



About a week later several pieces of Roman pottery, and one 

 of Norman, were discovered a few feet from the same place. 

 During some excavations in Mill Lane, May zyth, 1899, some 

 fragments of rough hand-made British, and also Roman, pottery 

 were unearthed. Some of these pieces fit together and represent 

 a bowl of large dimensions. With these was a piece of a much 

 harder flint-like substance, evidently portion of a vessel in which 

 some metal had been melted. 



One other object of interest recently discovered is an earthen 

 jug or bottle, in the possession of Mr. J. B. C. Best, which was 

 unearthed during some excavations in Mill Lane at a depth of 

 8 feet. This is unique, inasmuch as it is the only whole earthen 

 vessel known to have been discovered in Wareham. The height 

 of the jug is y inches ; circumference at the lip, 3^ inches ; 

 diameter, just under an inch ; circumference of bowl, 14^ inches. 

 Because of the brown glaze on this vessel opinions differ as to 

 its being of Roman manufacture. Mr. B. A. Hogg pronounced 

 it Old English pottery of the i4th century. 



The above is not given as an exhaustive list of the Roman 

 relics found in Wareham ; but one great object has been the 

 hope that it may prove of use to some future antiquary endeavour- 

 ing to give our ancient and interesting old town some of the 

 credit to which it is entitled. I have mentioned especially the 

 fragments of Roman pottery and other relics of antiquity which 



