Monument record MDO2560 - Prehistoric burial near Newlands Gate, Poor Lot Down, Stratton

Pieces of human bone were observed in 1961 during drilling of foundations for a dutch barn. Later excavations by G V D Rybot revealed a grave with a skeleton lying on its left side facing west. No dating evidence was found but the excavators felt that the style of burial indicated a probable late prehistoric date.

SY 65399496. Human bone fragments were found when drilling foundations for a dutch barn at Poor Lot Down in July/August 1961. The spot was excavated by Edward Waring and Rybot in September 1963 when a male skeleton, aged more than thirty, was found 18ins below the "natural" ground surface. It was aligned N-S with the head to the S and lying on the left side facing W. No associated pottery or other finds were made, with the exception of one small piece of burnt flint which probably came from the in-filling. Any dating therefore, is purely guesswork and Rybot suggests that in view of the alignment of the grave, it may be pre-Christian.
`Celtic' field remains exist immediately to the E of the site
(SY 69 NW 38). (1)

<1> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1965, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1964, 108-109 (Serial). SDO64.

<2> National Record of the Historic Environment, 453559 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Apr 13 2022 2:52PM