Monument record MDO19091 - Two possible round barrows, South Walks, Dorchester

Two possible bell barrows set close together were discovered by Cunnington in 1864 beneath the Roman town rampart on South Walks. One barrow had a possibly primary urned cremation burial and several secondary inhumation '. There is no record of what was found in the other barrow.

When the Roman rampart at the east end of South Walks was levelled in 1865, Cunnington recorded two 'bell-shaped' barrows, only two feet apart. These barrows were apparently buried beneath the Roman rampart. One barrow had a possibly primary urned cremation burial and several secondary inhumation burials buried 'sometimes singly and sometimes, two or three together'. There are no records of what was found in the other barrow. <1>

(SY 69659042). Two barrows under the Roman vallum, south-east angle of Dorchester, i.e. the east end of South Walks. They were close together. An urn with ashes was found, also several skeletons when opened by E Cunnington in 1864. <3>

The site is occupied by an overgrown garden and no trace of a barrow remains. There were no surface finds. Nothing is shown on OS 1/500 1887 at this spot. <5>

<1> Cunnington, E, 1895, Poundbury: The Pastoral Camp and the Old Dunium of Ptolemy. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club, 50-1 (Article in serial). SDO9812.

<1> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1895, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club, 50-1 (Serial). SDO9.

<2> Cunnington, E, 1915, Cunnington MSS (Unpublished document). SDO10110.

<3> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1916, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club for 1916, 41 (Serial). SDO25.

<4> Anon, Undated, Pte. 6" Bristol Museum (Map). SDO18510.

<5> Rigg, J, Field Investigators Comments JR, F1 JR 21-AUG-54 (Unpublished document). SWX1255.

<6> Grinsell, L V, 1959, Dorset Barrows, 105, Dorchester 1 & 2 (Monograph). SDO132.

Said to have been covered by the Roman town rampart. Opened 1864: primary(?) cremation in urn; in the sides of the mound, 'buried sometimes singly, and sometimes two or three together', were several skeletons, described by Thurman as 'decidedly 'Ancient British'. Cunnington Mss., no. 1; Dorset Proc xvi, 50-1; xxxvii, 41.

<7> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 547,[c]; 444 (Monograph). SDO150.

Two barrows, 'bell-shaped' and only 2 ft. apart, were recorded under the Roman town bank at the E. End of South Walks when levelled in 1864, one containing a possibly primary inurned cremation and several secondary inhumations (Dorset Procs. XVI (1895)m 50-1; Cunnington, nos. 1 and 2).

<8> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, Externally held archive: RCH01/093 RCHME Inventory: Dorset II (South-East) (Unpublished document). SDO17434.

<9> National Record of the Historic Environment, 453432 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 22 2024 7:36PM