Monument record MDO1534 - Neolithic cursus monument on Long Barrow Hill, Long Bredy

A possible cursus visible as cropmarks immediately east of the northeastern end of Long Bredy bank barrow (SY 59 SE 27). Aligned roughly east-northeast - west-southwest, only the northeastern end is visible. The cursus appears to be relatively narrow with straight, parallel sides and a terminal which is straight and at right angles to the sides, but possibly with rounded corners. In the interior are traces of what may be two internal banks, each located closer to the centre rather than to the side ditches. Bailey (1984) reports the former presence of traces of an internal bank on the northern side close to the line of the ditch. A cluster of round barrows lie in the area between the bank barrow and the cursus (see SY 59 SE 43 and associated monuments), one of them being located directly adjacent to the southwest corner of the cursus. Inside the cursus ditches, towards the terminal, is a large marl-pit infilled with chalk excavated during the construction of nearby farm buildings. <1-6>

A possible cursus visible as cropmarks immediately east of the north-eastern end of Long Bredy bank barrow. The site is aligned roughly east-northeast to west-southwest, only the north-eastern terminal is visible. It is defined by an outer ditch with inner bank and is 30m across. The site is visible on aerial photographs. <7-8>

McOmish, D and Tuck, C, 2000, Long Bredy Bank Barrow, Long Bredy, Dorset (Unpublished document). SDO16431.

<1> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1972, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1971, 168 (Serial). SDO71.

‘AN UNRECORDED ENCLOSURE ON MARTIN’S DOWN, LONBREDY. Recent cultivation of downland in the vicinity of the bank-barrow on Martin’s Down, Longbredy, has revealed three sides of a ditched and probably banked rectangular enclosure (SY 57359120).

The short western side, 29 m. long from ditch to ditch and running north-south, is 100 m. east of the N.E. end of the bank-barrow. The long sides run 80 m. eastwards, incidentally enclosing a large chalk pit, and become lost in the deeper cultivation of the next field. Under the plough the rounded corners of the ditches (width 2 m.) show dark against the chalk, and a very slight elevation suggests a bank still remaining on the inside of the north ditch

The RAF vertical air photo CPE/UK/1934, 5101, taken when the down was natural turf, clearly shows this bank, but no trace of the ditches.

Such an enclosure occurring in this very important prehistoric context must give rise to some speculation. It is hoped that it will be possible to obtain a profile of the ditch, and possibly dating material, by a trial excavation.’

<2> Bailey, C J, 1982, The Bride Valley : the story of the past, with photographs of the present (Monograph). SWX1298.

<3> Papworth, M, 1983, The South Dorset Ridgeway Project: condition and management survey, SDR 740 (Index). SDO12304.

Terminal of cursus type soilmark and traces in field to east, observed on AP's Adjacent to Barrow Group 647. Ploughed. 7/7/E

<4> 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.

<5> 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.

‘The cursus on Martin’s Down, Long Bredy.
Reference to a cursus adjacent to the bank barrow on Martin’s Down, Long Bredy, calls for some explanation of its discovery as well as of its subsequent history.
The photograph accompanying the paper was from a coloured slide taken by R. N. R. Peers in 1971 when the grass downland around the barrow had just been broken up by the plough probably for the first time in hundreds of years. The hairpin-shaped feature was noted and by courtesy of the land owner R. J. Maltby measurements were made before the field was sown down. A brief account was published but in anticipation of excavations the word cursus was deliberately avoided, but mention was made of the potential significance of the discovery in its relation to the bank barrow. The photograph was first published in 1962 and the feature referred to as a cursus.
Subsequent ploughing no longer revealed the sharp outlines of the ditches seen in 1971. Under grass there is now no trace of the ditches and the position of the inner bank on the north side can only be vaguely identified. Spread of material brought in to fill in the pit has also masked the evidence.
Cultivation has thus greatly changed the aspect of the whole area in the vicinity of the bank barrow. The scheduled barrows are secure but the minor, mainly linear features have been obliterated. The plan accompanying this note (Figure 5) is based on the precultivation evidence and should be compared with the 1971 photograph. Intensity of cultivation is shown by relative densitites of shading making it clear that the truncation of the cursus was the result of the combined effect of 18th century ploughing and deeper modern cultivation.’

<6> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1985, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1984, 134-137 (Serial). SDO84.

<7> Royal Air Force, 22-JAN-1948, RAF/CPE/UK/2431 3148-9 (Aerial Photograph). SDO11113.

<8> 02-APR-1969, NMR OS/69053 012-3 (Aerial Photograph). SDO11106.

<9> National Record of the Historic Environment, 884810 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Dec 12 2023 6:23AM