Monument record MDO24 - Barrow on Walls Down, Abbotsbury

A round barrow visible as earthworks on aerial photographs. Possibly a barrow excavated before 1876. Several burials were found, most in stone cists. Finds of more than one date suggest that some of these were later burials, possibly early medieval. Finds of pottery, in one case associated with cremated bone, are interpreted as Bronze Age cremation burials. Other finds thought to be prehistoric include flint scrapers and a carved piece of chalk.

A bowl barrow presumed to be of Bronze Age origin, though excavation around 1877 recovered items of more than one date. Several inhumations were found, most in what are described as stone cists. Some or all of these are likely to be secondary burials of early medieval date - associated finds included iron arrowheads and a knife. Potsherds found just below the turf, in one case associated with cremated bone, presumably represent secondary burials of Bronze Age date. Other, probably prehistoric, finds mentioned include flint scrapers and a carved piece of chalk. Early medieval copper finds include dress pins, a ring and a ladies case for nick-nacks.

The site of the barrow is visible as earthworks on aerial photographs <3> and was digitally plotted as part of the South Dorset Ridgway Mapping Project.

This barrow is 15 paces in diameter and 2 feet in height. Flints in composition. <4>

A barrow at New Barn, Abbotsbury was recently opened and found to contain "several interments, of persons differing in age, and apparently also in the period of their burial", most of them laid in stone cists. Several urns "of rude construction" were found in fragments close beneath the turf around the barrow, only one being sufficently entire at its base to show the original contents of calcined bones. Iron finds comprised arrowheads and a knife, whilst rust stains indicated that a weapon had been laid across the chest of one of the skeletons. Copper finds included "a lady's case for nick-nacks, two dress pins and a ring", and there were also several flint scrapers and a carved piece of chalk. Some of these specimens have been placed by the Earl of Ilchester in his museum at Melbury. <1>

SY 597833. This barrow is listed as a bowl, but was unlocated. The urns are assumed to be either primary or secondary, with secondary or intrusive skeletons (saxon?). <2>

Situated at the south of Walls Down was a site known as 'The Mound' according to my father who was born in 1876 and who farmed the land as did his father before him. My father is of the opinion that this is the site referred to though he knows nothing of the burials. When I was a lad - about 1914 - the villagers used to tell me that if I was near the gate (at BM 164.4) at midnight I would see the ghosts of the soldiers who were buried there. <3>

SY 59278342. A grass covered flat topped mound of rather irregular shape. Diameter 14.0m and height averages 0.5m. There is no visible ditch surrounding the mound, and a straight ditch 4.0m wide and 0.4m deep situated immediately west of the barrow may be a modern track. the site indicated on the map from Authy 3 was 10.0m from present siting symbol. This mound accords with the information is Authy 3 and appears to be the barrow referred to in Authys 1 & 2. It is of bowl type. <4>

SY 59278342. Abbotsbury 20a. Listed as a bowl barrow, details as Authy 2. Finds from this barrow are now in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. (Nothing shown at this location on OS 1st edition 1" map). <6-7>

<1> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1877, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club, 50-51 (Serial). SDO2.

<2> Grinsell, L V, 1935-54, Dorset Barrows 1935-54 Manuscript (Unpublished document). SWX1556.

<3> Rigg, J, Field Investigators Comments JR, F1 JR 04-APR-55 (Unpublished document). SWX1255.

<3.1> Hayne, Oral: Mr Hayne, 4 West St, Abbotsbury (Verbal communication). SWX4484.

<4> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F2 NVQ 18-APR-55 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<5> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England, 1952, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume I (West), 11 (Monograph). SDO97.

‘(35) BARROW, 1½m. S.E. of the church, is 27ft. in diam. and ¾ ft. high.’

<6> Grinsell, L V, 1959, Dorset Barrows, 85 (Monograph). SDO132.

‘Opened before 1876, reported in Dorset Proc I, 50-1, by GHP: urns (one with burnt bones) assumed either primary or secondary; secondary or intrusive skeletons (Saxon?). ‘Some of these speciments have been placed by the Earl of Ilchester in his Museum of Curiosities at Melbury’. Relics now in Ashm. Folklore: see Section F.’

<7> Grinsell, L V, 1982, Dorset Barrows Supplement, 32 (Monograph). SWX1703.

<8> Royal Air Force, 04-NOV-1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1824 3320-1 (Aerial Photograph). SDO12194.

<9> National Record of the Historic Environment, 450575 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Apr 27 2023 9:39AM