Monument record MDO1699 - Mounds on Bowden's Hill, Melcombe Horsey

A spread of around 20 mounds from ST 4707 0204 to ST 7413 0206. In 1956 test excavations were done of three of these mounds, and the results suggested that they were most probably natural features.

Group of about 20 mounds in the area. These were tested by the RCHM in 1956, before ploughing, and were shown not to be barrows, but probably natural features. <1>

(Centred ST 74100210) A group of twenty mounds scattered over some two and a half acres on Bowden's Hill between the settlement (ST 70 SW 47) and the cross dyke. (ST 70 SW 36). They vary in shape from roughly round to kidney-shaped and in size from 7ft to 30ft across. Most of them are about 1ft high and test excavations in three of them, prior to levelling and ploughing in the area, have yielded no archaeological data. They may be of natural origin. <1-3>

Area centred ST 74100210. The flinty earthen mounds remain as described by RCHM <1>. They do not appear to be sepulchral and may as suggested, be natural. It is also possible that they represent the residue of a ploughed out northern area Iron Age/Romano British settlement which partly remains on Bowden's Hill. <4>

<1> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 1, 175 (Monograph). SDO146.

'(23) MOUNDS (74070204-74130206), twenty, are irregularly scattered over some 2½ acres on Bowden's Hill, between Settlement (11) and Dyke (15). They lie on the gentle W. slope of the ridge top at about 740 ft. above O.D. and vary in shape from roughly round to kidney-shaped. They are from 7ft. To 30 ft. across and most of them are about 1 ft. high. Test excavations in three mounds have yielded no archaeological data.'

<2> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1957, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1956, 74 (Serial). SDO56.

<3> Royal Air Force, 17-JAN-1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1934 3179-81, 3181 (Aerial Photograph). SDO17530.

<4> Barrett, G, Various, Field Investigators Comments GB, F1 GB 30-NOV-78 (Unpublished document). SDO17369.

<5> Grinsell, L V, 1959, Dorset Barrows, 119 (Monograph). SDO132.

<6> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 1, RCH01/093 (Monograph). SDO148.

A collection of archive relating to the Dorset inventory Volume Dorset II (South East). The archive consists of a wide range of material including original field notes, surveys, profiles, photographs and negatives, measured drawings, and publication proofs, and correspondence.

<7> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB76/07696 (Index). SDO14738.

PLANS SHOWING EXCAVATED AREAS OF 3 MOUNDS OF A GROUP OF 20 NO ARCHAEOLOGICAL DATA WAS DISCOVERED. THE MOUNDS MAY BE OF NATURAL ORIGIN

<8> National Record of the Historic Environment, 202076 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Feb 3 2022 2:44PM