Monument record MDO2025 - Pillow mound on Pilsdon Pen, Pilsdon

A pillow mound is visible as an earthwork on the southwest side of Pilsdon Pen hillfort on aerial photographs. It forms the southwest side of an associated square enclosure (MDO38036). The site was digitally plotted during the Marshwood Vale NMP.

A pillow mound is visible as an earthwork on the southwest side of Pilsdon Pen hillfort on aerial photographs (2-4). It is one of five recorded within the hillfort (see MDO's 2022; 2023; 2024) and appears to form the southwest side of an associated square enclosure (MDO38036), thought to be a post medieval warren. The current mound may be a reconstruction post excavation (early 1980's). 6.5m wide, 40m long.

The site was digitally plotted during the Marshwood Vale NMP.

Five pillow-mounds within Pilsdon Pen hill-fort.
1. Bank on south-west side of square enclosure ('G' on 1:2500 plan at ST 41230128), apparently formed by pre-existing pillow-mound.
2. Pillow-mound immediately east of square enclosure ('F' at ST 41280132), 107 feet by 24 feet.
3. Mound 15 yards north-west of OS trig point 909 feet ('D' at ST 41330115), 38 feet by 21 feet by 1 1/2 feet high.
4. Mound 80 yards north-west of same point ('E' at ST 41290118), 42 1/2 feet by 22 feet by 2 feet high.
5. Mound 80 yards north of trig point ('B' at ST 4134-0120), 48 feet by 21 feet by 2 feet high. (1)

'B', 'D' and 'E' are all nearly rectangular, averaging 13.0 metres by 7.5 metres by 0.6 metre high, with ditch 2.0 metres wide by 0.3 metre deep. Grass covered with no sign of mutilation.
'F' is 34.0 metres long by 8.0 metres wide by 0.8 metre high, with a ditch more pronounced on the west side.
'G' is 38.0 metres long by 7.5 metres wide by 1.0 metre high, with a ditch 2.5 metres wide by 0.3 metre deep. This feature is obviously later than the rectangular enclosure (ST 40 SW 9) whose south-west side has been destroyed by the construction of the pillow-mound. (2)

'D', 'B' and 'E' listed as bowl barrows or pillow-mounds. (3)

Mound (G) covering sleeper trenches of square enclosure unlikely to be more than 250-300 years old. (4)

Pillow mounds probably for 18th century rabbit breeding visible on air photograph of Pilsdon Pen hill-fort. (5)

Centred ST 41280126. Five pillow mounds and square enclosure also used for rabbit husbandry within Pilsdon Pen Hillfort.
Depicted but not described (a).
Depicted but not described (b).
Most of square enclosure and one pillow mound excavated and interpreted as temenos (c).
Reinterpreted as warren earthworks (d). (6

<1> Ordnance Survey, 1:2500 scale, 1889 (Map). SWX1197.

<2> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England, 1952, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume I (West), 179-80 (Monograph). SDO97.

<3> Swatridge, G C, Various, Field Investigators Comments GCS, F1 GCS 04-MAR-55 (Unpublished document). SWX1169.

<4> Grinsell, L V, 1959, Dorset Barrows, p125 Nos 2, 4 and 5 (Monograph). SDO132.

<5> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1966, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1965, 90 (Serial). SDO65.

<6> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey 1:10,000 scale map, 1968 (Map). SDO17396.

<7> 2017, Current Archaeology, 1969-1970 AP and Caption P79 (Serial). SDO17119.

<8> Prehistoric Society, 1977, Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 43, 263-8 (Serial). SDO17330.

<9> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1983, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1982, 178-179 (Serial). SDO82.

<10> Historic England, Historic England Archive, AF1007320 (Index). SDO14738.

RCHME: Pilsdon Pen, Dorset. RCHME Exeter surveyed the Iron Age hillfort and associated earthworks in 1995 at the request of the National Trust and English Heritage.Contents : 2 plans, 3 computer generated overlays, Antiquity Model, report, correspondence, survey data, disk, field record formsCondition : INTACT

<11> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 1007328 (Index). SDO14738.

Pilsdon Pen

<12> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 1007327 (Index). SDO14738.

Pilsdon Pen, archaeological interpretation

<13> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 1007326 (Index). SDO14738.

Pilsdon Pen, vegetation and management overlay

<14> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 1007325 (Index). SDO14738.

Pilsdon Pen, height and survey information

<15> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 1007324 (Index). SDO14738.

Pilsdon Pen/pencil survey

<16> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 1007323 (Index). SDO14738.

Pilsdon Pen/ink survey. Antiquity Model: Revised

<17> Ordnance Survey, 08-MAY-1996, OS/96569 V 122-3 (Aerial Photograph). SDO14566.

<18> National Monuments Record, 16-FEB-2005, NMR ST 4101/27-34 (NMR 23816/21-28) (Aerial Photograph). SDO14567.

<19> Dorset County Council, XX-XXX-2009, Dorset CC Vertical Digital Photo Tile, ST4101.ecw (Aerial Photograph). SDO13314.

<20> National Record of the Historic Environment, 193120 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Oct 25 2024 3:02PM