Monument record MDO2202 - Bowl barrow in Puddletown Forest, Puddletown

One of four Bronze Age round barrows running along the top of a narrow ridge. In 1970 this monument was reported as being around 37 feet in diameter with a mound about 2½ feet high, with traces of an encircling ditch. The centre of the mound has been dug into, presumably in the course of antiquarian investigation. Faint traces are visible as earthworks on LiDAR images taken in 2004.

Four barrows (32-35) lie in Puddletown Forest, along the top of a narrow E-W ridge; the first three are close together above 300 ft OD; (35) is further E at a slightly lower level. All have traces of ditches and are now planted with conifers. 'A' - (32) Bowl (74409299), centre dug into. Diam 37 ft, ht 2 1/2 ft. <2-3>

'A' SY 74409299. Bowl barrow, diameter 13.0m., height 1.1m. The ditch is 2.0m. wide and from 0.1m. to 0.4m. deep, except on north quadrant.
All four barrows are in a forestry plantation, 'D' currently stripped of trees, but are in good condition. Re-surveyed at 1:2500 on M.S.D. <4>

One of three barrows marked on the OS map in Puddletown Forest. Faint traces are visible as earthworks on LiDAR images taken in 2004. <5>

<1> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1902 (Map). SWX1540.

(Group centred SY 744929) Tumuli (NR) three shown. (SY 74659296) Tumulus (NR)

<2> Grinsell, L V, 1959, Dorset Barrows, 129 (Monograph). SDO132.

<3> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 2, 230 (Monograph). SDO136.

'Four barrows (32–35) lie in Puddletown Forest, along the top of a narrow E.–W. ridge; the first three are close together above 300 ft. O.D.; (35) is further E. at a slightly lower level. All have traces of ditches and are now planted with conifers. (32) Bowl (74409299), centre dug into. Diam. 37 ft., ht. 2½ ft. '

<4> Barton, J G, Various, Field Investigators Comments JGB, F1 JGB 07-NOV-80 (Unpublished document). SDO11900.

<5> 10-MAR-2004, D0032745 (Aerial Photograph). SDO10725.

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 455024 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jan 16 2025 4:06PM