Monument record MDO1532 - Neolithic cursus near Kingston House, Long Bredy

A possible cursus has been recorded S.W of Kingston Farm. A sarsen stone 1.5m long, 0.85m wide and 0.35m thick was located in a chalk cut pit at SY57979118. Although it may be a natural stone removed during field clearence, its possible significance in relation to local prehistoric activity cannot be ruled out.<1>

Cropmarks of a possible cursus just southwest of the village of Kingston Russell. The feature appears on the north side of the A35 as a single ditch running parallel with the road before curving round towards and meeting the road. No cropmarks have yet been noted south of the road. Neither have any yet been observed east of the the road from Kingston Russell to the A35. However, the line of the possible cursus west of the Kingston Russel road is continued by the line of the pre-turnpike road, as marked on 1765 estate maps. This road was replaced circa 1776 by the new, turnpike, road immediately to the south on the line of the A35. A machine-cut section through the line of the cropmark found no trace of a ditch, which would appear to strengthen the possibility that the cropmark feature is not a cursus, although this leaves the terminal-like curve at the northwestern end to be explained. Another small trench excavated near the one noted above, but this time wholly "inside" the suggested cursus found a pit containing a large sarsen. Burial of an obstruction to cultivation appears the most likely explanation, although the proximity of a range of definite and possible prehistoric monuments appears to have given the sarsen greater significance than it might otherwise have attracted (see for example the standing stone SY 59 SE 30; the possible stone circle SY 59 SE 70; sarsens at SY 59 SE 87; as well as the various bank barrows and other cursus. <1-2>

The possible site of a Neolithic cursus mounument is clearly visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs. An 150m stretch of the possible cursus is visible on aerial photographs. It is aligned roughly east-northeast to west-southwest and only the north-eastern end is visible. The cursus is relatively narrow with straight, parallel sides and a terminal which is straight but with rounded corners. The cursus appears to consist of an outer ditch and inner bank and it's southern side is trucated by the A35 truck road. <4-5>

<1> Bailey, C J, 1985, Fieldwork in the Upper Valley of the South Winterbourne; Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 134-7 (Article in serial). SDO14129.

<2> Bradley, R, 1984, The Bank Barrows and related monuments of Dorset in the light of recent field work; Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 105, 15-20 (Article in serial). SDO14130.

<3> Papworth, M, 1983, The South Dorset Ridgeway Project: condition and management survey, SDR (Index). SDO12304.

Identified from aerial photographs. DCC. In pasture at time of visit; no visible signs. The hedge line to the SE aligns with this soilmark. 7/7/E

<4> 14-APR-1984, NMR OS/84029 246-7 (Aerial Photograph). SDO11122.

<5> 06-OCT-2000, NMR SY 5791/31-3 (NMR 18961/13-5) (Aerial Photograph). SDO11121.

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 884817 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Dec 14 2023 1:32PM