Monument record MDO1368 - Stone circle in the Valley of the Stones, Littlebredy

A roughly circular area from which the surface stones have been cleared and set around the edges. In 1952 this feature was described as roughly 71 feet by 59 feet.

Three stone rings in the Valley of the Stones, 'A' and 'B' form oval clearings made by removing the loose stones
from the ground surface and setting them up round the perimeter.
'A'. (SY 59718788) (RCHM 7B). Of indeterminate character, measuring about 33 ft by 24 ft.
'B'. (SY 59698742) (RCHM 7a). Measures 71ft by 59ft.
'C'. (SY 59628732). Noted as a circular ring of sarsens (1). (Not mentioned by Authy 2). (1-2)

A roughly D-shaped enclosure in the Valley of Stones made of small closely set stones. It seems likely that it is associated with the surrounding lynchet system and was a cattle enclosure of Iron Age or later date. (3-4)

'A'. This oval enclosure is conventionally portrayed on OS 1:2500. It consists of 19 large stones forming an oval perimiter with diameters of 11.0m and 8.0m. The work is orientated in a NNW-SSE direction. There is a gap on the W side perhaps destroyed by the modern track.

'B'. SY 59668738. The D-shaped enclosure referred to by Authy 4. It is composed of large stones and conventionally portrayed on the OS 1:2500 plan. The measurements given in Authy 2 are correct. The flat side is on the NNW. There is no obvious entrance to the enclosure.

'C'. There is no circle of sarsens visible about the reference given, and it seems a mistaken site. The whole area is uncultivated.

Enclosure 'B' may well be associated with the Iron Age/Romano British field system. Site 'A' possibly so but it is much smaller than 'B' and would not have held cattle in any numbers. (5)

The D-shaped sarsen-walled enclosure (Little Bredy 7a) in the valley bottom, possibly the site of a dwelling or of a dwelling or of a pound, was apparently built at the edge of a small 'Celtic' field which continued in cultivation. To the SW (SY 59598733) is a triangular platform € 38 ft. by 30 ft, at the angle of a 'Celtic' field and to the NE
(SY 59698744) is a rectangular platform (f) about 42ft by 30ft, both of uncertain date. The two enclosures (Little Bredy 7a and 7b) (see Authy 1 & 2) are apparently contemporary with some phase of the 'Celtic' field system. (6)

SY 597877. Field system in the Valley of Stones (SY 58 NE 15).Scheduled. (These enclosures and platforms fall within the scheduledarea.) (7-8)

National Record of the Historic Environment, 450339 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

<1> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1908, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club for 1908, lxxviii (Serial). SDO19.

<2> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, RCHM Mss file (Unpublished document). SDO18524.

<3> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England, 1952, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume I (West), 38 (Monograph). SDO97.

‘(7) STONE RINGS, in the Valley of Stones towards the S.E. angle of the parish, are two in number. Both form an oval clearing made by removing the loose stones from the ground-surface and setting them round the perimeter. The more southerly (a), 340 yards N.E. of Black Down Barn, is 71 ft. by 59 ft.; the second (b), 620 yards N. of (a), is of indeterminate character; it is about 33 ft. by 24 ft.’

<4> Piggott, S, and Piggot, C M, 1939, 'Stone and Earth Circles in Dorset', Antiquity Volume 13 Issue 50, 138-158 (Article in serial). SDO19843.

<5> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 30-MAR-55 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<6> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 624, 625 (Monograph). SDO150.

<7> Department of the Environment, DOE (IAM) Ancient Monuments Record Form, 3.7.78 (Index). SDO17347.

<8> 1978, List of ancient monuments in England: Volume 1, Northern England; Volume 2, Southern England; Volume 3, East Anglia and the Midlands Vol 2, 77 (Monograph). SWX2557.

<9> Papworth, M, 1983, The South Dorset Ridgeway Project: condition and management survey, SDR 711 (Index). SDO12304.

Permanent pasture 1/1/B

<10> Historic England, Historic England Archive (Index). SDO14738.

<11> Historic England, Historic England Archive (Index). SDO14738.

<12> Historic England, Historic England Archive (Index). SDO14738.

<13> Historic England, Historic England Archive (Index). SDO14738.

<14> Historic England, Historic England Archive (Index). SDO14738.

<15> Historic England, Historic England Archive (Index). SDO14738.

<16> Historic England, Historic England Archive (Index). SDO14738.

<17> Historic England, Historic England Archive (Index). SDO14738.

<18> Historic England, Historic England Archive (Index). SDO14738.

<19> Historic England, Historic England Archive (Index). SDO14738.

<20> Historic England, Historic England Archive (Index). SDO14738.

Record last edited

Dec 20 2024 4:19PM