Monument record MDO2274 - Lookout, The Knoll, Puncknowle

An 18th century building built on top of a Bronze Age bowl barrow. The building is a possible look-out and signal station. A small stone building, apparently a 'watchtower', is visible as a roofed structure on aerial photographs. The building is likely to be of post medieval date. It was digitally plotted for the South Dorset Ridgeway Mapping Project. Summary from record MDO11046: A Look-out and signal station, built circa 1800 of rubble-stone walls on a stone plinth with a stone slab roof.

A Bronze Age urn was found at Puncknowle in 1908 under the foundations of an old building, apparently a 'Watch-tower'. This building had been erected on a mound which is possibly a barrow. <1>

A small stone building stands upon a flat-topped mound which probably represents the bowl barrow. The mound is 18.0m in diameter and 1.2m high. There is no visible ditch, and the N and NW sides of the barrow have been dug into. <2>

The knoll is shown as 'Puncknoll Beacon' on Isaac Taylor's map of Dorset (1765). A signal station, part of a line erected along the south coast in 1794, stood on the knoll and the small building may be connected with it. The fireplace suggests an 18th century date. (There is no signal station or any building shown at this location on OS 2" drawing of 1806-7, or the 1" map of 1811. However, a signal staff is depicted at SY 559862, and as it is unlikely there were two stations in such close proximity, it would appear there was probably not a signal station on the knoll). <3>

Look-Out on the Knoll. A look-out and signal station. Built c1800. <4>

A small stone building, apparently a 'watchtower', is visible as a roofed structure on aerial photographs <5>. This building has been erected on a mound which is likely to be the remains of a Bronze Age barrow. The building is likely to be of post medieval date. It was digitally plotted for the South Dorset Ridgeway Mapping Project.

GREENBACK List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Scheduling record). SDO19706.

<1> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1914, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club, xliv, li (Serial). SDO23.

<2> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 07-APR-55 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<3> Bailey, C J, 1982, The Bride Valley : the story of the past, with photographs of the present, 74 (Monograph). SWX1298.

<4> Department of the Environment, 1984, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: District of West Dorset (Parishes of Askerswell, Bothenhampton, Bradpole, Burton Bradstock, Chilcombe, Litton Cheney, Loders, Puncknowle, Shipton Gorge and Swyre) (Scheduling record). SDO16360.

<5> Royal Air Force, 04-NOV-1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1824 3309-10 (Aerial Photograph). SDO12157.

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 450526 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jan 16 2025 4:16PM