Monument record MDO2055 - Bowl barrow, Portesham Hill

A bowl barrow recorded by the RCHM as a low elongated mound and also visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs. When excavated by Cunnington in 1894 it measured 48 feet by 16 feet by 6 feet high, and contained a Late Bronze Age primary cremation in an upright bucket, or barrel urn.

The barrow opened last week - August 9th and 10th - by the permission of Mr. Manfield, is exactly 130ft. south-east of the Helstone ; it has been cut away east and west to its present dimensions of 48ft. By 16ft., but was originally a round barrow of 48ft. diameter. Its height is about 6ft. at a depth of 5ft. rather more than a cart load of large rough stones was found encircling an urn. This urn was resting on the original soil with a thin stone over its mouth and contained the burnt bones. It is 12in. in height, 8in. at the mouth, 9in. at its broadest diameter, and has an incised double zigzag ornamentation near the top enclosing diamond patterns. Two small scrapers and also a rough celt were found and a small quantity of wood ashes. <1>

A bowl barrow, visible as a low elongated mound about 16 paces across, apparently cut back when the adjoining field wall was made. <2>

Field investigators comments made in March 1980 record the mound as being 16.5m. By 10.5m. Height 17.m. with no visible ditch {3}. Re-surveyed at 1:2500 on M.S.D. <6>

Some of the mound is visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs <9-10> on the northern side of the hedge. This site was digitally plotted during the South Dorset Ridgeway Mapping Project.

<1> Richardson, N M, 1895, The Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club During the Season 1894-5, 176 (Article in serial). SDO10111.

<2> Cunnington, E, 1915, Cunnington MSS, No 53 (Unpublished document). SDO10110.

<3> Grinsell, L V, 1959, Dorset Barrows, 126 (Monograph). SDO132.

<4> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1963 (Map). SWX1540.

(SY 60658669) Tumulus (NR)

<5> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 450 (Monograph). SDO150.

<6> Barton, J G, Various, Field Investigators Comments JGB, F1 JGB 30-MAR-80 (Unpublished document). SDO11900.

<7> Papworth, M, 1983, The South Dorset Ridgeway Project: condition and management survey, SDR 183 (Index). SDO12304.

Bowl, 16.5m x 10.5m, 1.7m ht. 1980. By 1982 mound cut back reducing the diameter by a third on the N fields to the N & S both regularly ploughed. 7/4/D

<8> Wessex Archaeology, 2011, South Dorset Ridgeway Barrow Survey 2010 (Unpublished document). SDO12407.

<9> Royal Air Force, 04-NOV-1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1824 3299-3300 (Aerial Photograph). SDO11849.

<10> 06-12-2006, NMR SY6086/9-13 (24499/16) (Aerial Photograph). SDO11901.

<11> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, Externally held archive: RCH01/093 RCHME Inventory: Dorset II (South-East) (Unpublished document). SDO17434.

<12> National Record of the Historic Environment, 452345 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

May 22 2023 11:15AM