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The name Poundbury these days is most closely associated with Prince Charles's themed housing development on the outskirts of Dorchester.
This derives its name from a middle Bronze Age rectangular enclosure which became a hill fort
in the Iron Age.
Standing on the walls of old Poundbury I was amused to see the new one framed by a large arch inscribed, "Then I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth".
Stretching things a bit, I though.
The northern and eastern sides of the fort were damaged when the Romans built an aqueduct to bring fresh water to their settlement at Durnovaria, modern day Dorchester.
The remains of this aqueduct are unimpressive but make a pleasant level walk, until you get to the A37 that is.
The century would have originally been surrounded by a portico. The bases of four of the portico columns were located during the excavations in the 19th century and in 1931,
but these are not delineated on the ground.
It was probably built during the 4th century AD, and is worth visiting for the fine views out to sea
and inland towards the Osmington White Horse.
External Links and References
External Links
Jordan Hill Roman Temple
English Heritage Handbook Entry http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/jordan-hill-roman-temple/
It requires a vivid imagination to picture the roughly square enclosure, surrounded on three sides by low banks,
on the side of the hill above the Court House in Cowgrove as anything more that an natural formation.
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