Monument record MDO2597 - Bronze Age settlement on Shearplace Hill, Sydling St Nicholas

Middle and Late Bronze Age occupation consisting of enclosures, banks and ditches with finds of a comb, loom weights, whetstones and a few flint scrapers and animal bones. Iron Age and /Romano British fields and trackways present. 3rd and 4th century Roman reoccupation consisting of pottery, a coin and a brooch.

Village Settlement on Shearplace Hill, between the 600 ft and 700 ft contour has a nucleus consisting of an E-shaped arrangement of banks which may represent a two-roomed structure with a forecourt. It is approached by a hollow way from the west and there is a second way 35 yds to the north of the supposed structure, and there are various other banks representing fields or enclosures. In the field to the north of the site is a well defined hollow way. (Plan 1). <2>

As described by Authy 2. Surrounding the settlement are pronounced 'Celtic' lynchets and field banks forming rectilinear fields at SY 637990. Fragmentary remains are also visible in the ploughed field at SY 641987. <3>

Excavation of Shearplace Hill settlement in 1958 proved that it spanned at least three cultural phases of the Middle to Late Bronze Age period. The earthwork complex represent a probable, single farmstead comprising several enclosures formed by substantial banks, ditches and palisades. (Plan 2) The principal enclosure, which overlay the earliest phase feature:- inner ditch, contained two roughly circular house sites ('A' and 'B' on Plans 3 & 4). The site was abandoned in the Late Bronze Age although slight occupation belonging to the late Roman period, perhaps by a shepherd, was also discovered. A single post hole 3rd and 4th century sherds, a brooch and coin of Victorinus being the only evidence. A double-lynchet track and hollow way abutting the settlement on the west and north sides probably have associations with later Iron Age/Romano-British 'Celtic' fields in the vicinity. Finds from the excavations included pottery characteristic of the Deverel-Rimbury group and barrel-shaped 'Bucket Urn' types. A decorated bone weaving comb, clay roof and loom weights, whetstones, a few flint scrapers and animal bones were also recovered. In Dorchester Museum.

Five samples of charcoal from the settlement area were submitted to the National Physical Laboratory for radiocarbon assay. One sample (NPL 19) was assessed at 3130 years before present (1st Jan 1950) with a standard deviation of 180 years (ie a range between 1360 to 1000 BC). <4-5>

Avery and Close-Brooks reinterpreted the post-hole arrangement of Rahtz's (Authy 5) house site 'A' as having two phases - 'A1' and 'A2'. Their revised sequence of the site showed that the use of a double ring of upright roof-supports, hitherto recognised only in Iron Age houses, was a practice already current in the later Middle Bronze Age. Rahtz's house side 'B' was also probably multi-period but difficult to interpret. <7>

The east side of the main enclosure (at SY 64029854) and the enclosures which fall south of the east-west farm trace on Shearplace Hill settlement, have been ploughed out. <8>

Additional references. <9-11>

The remains of the Shearplace Hill settlement is now confined to about 0.5 ha., centred at SY 64029856, with a long track and hollow way to the north, extending overall from SY 63999904 to SY 63969871 and SY 64039859 (see plan). The banks are up to 1.2m. High and the hollow way is in places up to 1.7m. Deep.

In the field north of the settlement, at SY 641989, only amorphous, slight, mounds and hollows survive. The little that remains of the field system is ploughed and smoothed over.

Revised at 1:2500 on MSD. <12>

Additional material and correspondence. <13>

<1> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1903 (Map). SWX1540.

(Centred SY 640986) British Settlement [NR]

<2> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England, 1952, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume I (West), 235 (Monograph). SDO97.

<3> Swatridge, G C, Various, Field Investigators Comments GCS, F1 GCS 02-FEB-55 (Unpublished document). SWX1169.

<4> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1959, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1958, 100-101 (Serial). SDO58.

<5> Rahtz, P A and ApSimon, A M, 1962, Excavations at Shearplace Hill, Sydling St Nicholas, Dorset, England; Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 28, 289-328 (Article in serial). SDO15294.

<6> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1963, Monuments Threatened or Destroyed. A Select List: 1956-1962, 14 (Monograph). SDO12558.

‘SHEARPLACE HILL [SY 640985] Bronze Age settlement and cross-dyke, covering 6 acres, and associated tacks (R.C.H.M., West Dorset, Sydling St. Nicholas, Monument 23; plan, p. 235, amended). Excavated by P. A. Rahtz for Ministry of Works (Prehist. Soc., Procs., XXVIII (1962), 289-328).’

<7> Avery, Michael, and Close-Brooks, Joanna, 1970, Shearplace Hill, Sydling St Nicholas, Dorset, House A: a suggested reinterpretation. Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 35, 345-351 (Article in serial). SDO20439.

<8> Waggott, Thomas Pilling, Field Investigators comments TPW, F2 TPW 13-JAN-71 (Unpublished document). SDO17968.

<9> Cunliffe B, 1974, Iron Age Communities in Britain, 11-14, 16, 24, 155, 265 (Monograph). SWX9279.

<10> Harding, D W, 1974, Iron Age in Lowland Britain, 34, 46-8, 129 (Monograph). SDO20440.

<11> Taylor, C, 1979, Roads and Tracks of Britain, 23 (Monograph). SDO17508.

<12> Attrill, N J, Field Investigators Comments NJA, F3 NJA 24-FEB-81 (Unpublished document). SDO14743.

<13> Unpublished revision RCHME Dorset I (West) Undated (Sydling St Nicholas file) (Unpublished document). SDO13182.

<14> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, Externally held archive: RCH01/088 RCHME Inventory: Dorset I (West) and Revision (Unpublished document). SDO17367.

<15> Historic England, Historic England Archive (Index). SDO14738.

BB90/11748 SITE BEFORE EXCAVATION 1 FROM SW. Photographer: UNKNOWN
BB90/11749 SOUTH BANK FROM SOUTH, FARM TRACK IN FOREGROUND Photographer: UNKNOWN
BB90/11750 3. DITTO Photographer: UNKNOWN
BB90/11752 5. DITTO FROM NE. Photographer: UNKNOWN
BB90/11753 SITE OF HOUSE A FROM NE.
BB90/11754 MAIN ENCLOSURE FROM NW. Photographer: UNKNOWN
BB90/11755 WEST DITCH AND BANK FROM S. Photographer: UNKNOWN
BB90/11756 WEST BANK FROM SE. Photographer: UNKNOWN
BB90/11757 NW. CORNER FROM SE. Photographer: UNKNOWN
BB90/11758 FROM MAIN ENCLOSURE LOOKING NE. Photographer: UNKNOWN
BB90/11759 NE. CORNER OF MAIN ENCLOSURE FROM SW. Photographer: UNKNOWN
BB90/11760 MAIN ENCLOSURE FROM W. Photographer: UNKNOWN
BB90/11761 12. DITTO Photographer: UNKNOWN
BB90/11762 13. DITTO, MORE TO S. Photographer: UNKNOWN
BB90/11763 14 DITTO Photographer: UNKNOWN
BB90/11764 MAIN ENCLOSURE FROM NW. SOUTH ENCLOSURES IN DISTANCE Photographer: UNKNOWN
BB90/11765 MAIN ENCLOSURE FROM NW. Photographer: UNKNOWN
BB90/11766 FARM TRACK AND SOUTH END OF W. DITCH Photographer: UNKNOWN
BB90/11767 W. BANK AND DITCH FROM S. Photographer: UNKNOWN
BB90/11768 FARM TRACK AND S. HOOKED ENCLOSURE FROM NW. Photographer: UNKNOWN
BB90/11769 SOUTH ENCLOSURES FROM N, DESTROYED OUTER SOUTH BANK IN DISTANCE
BB90/11770 21. DITTO

BB90/11771 TRENCH THROUGH MAIN ENCLOSURE SEEN FROM W. SIDE OF W. DITCH FIRST STAGES OF EXCAVATION
BB90/11772 23. DITTO
BB90/11773 24. DITTO MORE TO SOUTH
BB90/11774 25. DITTO MORE TO S.
BB90/11775 TRENCHES THROUGH N. BANK FROM W.
BB90/11776 27. FROM S.,ENTRANCE PATH FULL OF FLINTS
BB90/11777 CENTRAL PART FROM NW.
BB90/11778 29. FROM SE.
BB90/11779 FROM NW.,REST OF MAIN ENCLOSURE IN BACKGROUND
BB90/11780 FROM NE. BLURRED, BUT SHOWING MARKING-OUT GROOVE
BB90/11781 32. FROM N.
BB90/11782 CENTRE PART FROM NORTH
BB90/11783 34. AS 30
BB90/11784 WEST SIDE OF HOUSE,SHOWING CUT-AWAY OF CHALK AND MARKING-OUT GROOVE
BB90/11785 36.DITTO,INNER DITCH AND MORE IN BACKGROUND
BB90/11786 37. FROM S. HOUSE "A" AFTER EXCAVATION
BB90/11787 CLOSER FROM S. WEST SIDE ONLY
BB90/11788 39 DITTO, FROM SW.
BB90/11789 40. AS 38
BB90/11790 41. AS 37
BB90/11791 FROM S. SHOWING EXCAVATED PATHWAY
BB90/11792 FROM NNW. MAINLY OF POST-HOLES
BB90/11793 44. DITTO, WITH MORE BACKGROUND
BB90/11794 WEST SIDE FROM NNW. SHOWING MARKING-OUT GROOVE AND CUT-AWAY
BB90/11795 46 FROM NW.
BB90/11796 FROM NW. WITH EXCAVATED INNER DITCH IN BACKGROUND
BB90/11797 CLOSE-UP OF ENTRANCE FROM SW.
BB90/11798 HOUSE "A"IN BACKGROUND, HOUSE "B"AND INNER DITCH IN FOREGROUND
BB90/11799 WEATHERING LAYER COVERING CHALK CUT-AWAY ON WEST SIDE OF HOUSE SEEN FROM SOUTH BEFORE EXCAVATION
BB90/11800 51 DITTO FROM SE.
BB90/11801 52 DITTO
BB90/11802 53 DITTO, MORE IN FOREGROUND, INCLUDING MARKING-OUT GROOVE
BB90/11803 54 FROM NORTH HOUSE "B" BEFORE EXCAVATION
BB90/11804 55 FROM NW.
BB90/11805 56 FROM S.
BB90/11806 57 DITTO, MORE IN FOREGROUND
BB90/11807 58 DITTO, SHOWING UNEXPECTED INNER DITCH
BB90/11808 59 FROM SOUTH, HOUSE "B" AFTER EXCAVATION
BB90/11809 POST-HOLE 90 (ENTRANCE POST)
BB90/11810 61 POST-HOLES 89 (ENTRANCE POST)
BB90/11811 POST-HOLE F3 AND "METALLING" TO WEST EXTERNAL FEATURES
BB90/11812 POST-HOLE F3 AND "METALLING" TO WEST
BB90/11813 EXCAVATING HOLES F4
BB90/11814 F4- HOLES AFTER EXCAVATION
BB90/11815 66 DITTO
BB90/11816 67 DITTO
BB90/11817 68 DITTO
BB90/11818 69 DITTO
BB90/11819 DECAYED CHALK & PLOUGHED-MARKS ON EAST SIDE OF MAIN ENCLOSURE
BB90/11820 DECAYED CHALK IN NORTH RAMPART OF MAIN ENCLOSURE
BB90/11821 72 DITTO
BB90/11822 SUMP F.79A IN WORKING HOLLOW 79
BB90/11823 WORKING HOLLOW 79 AND EAST BANK
BB90/11824 AREA SOUTH OF HOUSE "A"
BB90/11825 INNER DITCH BEFORE EXCAVATION. DITCHES
BB90/11826 77 DITTO, BLURRED
BB90/11827 INNER DITCH-SECTION WHERE IT ENTERS WEST BANK
BB90/11828 INNER DITCH-SECTION WHERE IT ENTERS EAST BANK
BB90/11829 SECTION OF PALISADE TRENCH IN WEST BANK
BB90/11830 SECTION OF SOUTH DITCH
BB90/11831 82 DITTO.
BB90/11832 EAST DITCH FROM EAST
BB90/11833 EAST DITCH SECTION FROM NE. DITCHES CONTINUED
BB90/11834 EAST DITCH SECTION FROM NW.
BB90/11835 EAST DITCH SECTION FROM NE.
BB90/11836 EAST DITCH SECTION FROM SE.
BB90/11837 EAST DITCH SECTION FROM SE.
BB90/11838 WEST DITCH, SECTION FROM NORTH
BB90/11839 90 DITTO
BB90/11840 91 DITTO FROM NE.
BB90/11841 WEST DITCH FROM SW.
BB90/11842 WEST DITCH FROM SE.
BB90/11843 WEST DITCH FROM NW.
BB90/11844 WEST DITCH FROM NW. MORE DISTANT VIEW
BB91/14192 EXCAVATING A ROUND HUT, WITH POST-HOLES CUT IN CHALK
BB91/14193 A CIRCULAR HUT OF LATE BRONZE AGE/ EARLY IRON AGE AT SHEARPLACE HILL, DORSET
BB91/14194 UNSPECIFIED VIEW OF SITE
BB91/14195 GENERAL PLAN OF MAIN ENCLOSURE
BB92A/18027 SITE OF HOUSE A. FROM SE. - NO PRINT AVAILABLE Photographer: UNKNOWN
P35652 ARCHAEOLOGICAL PHOTOGRAPH
P35653 AERIAL VIEW OF SITE
P35654 AERIAL VIEW OF SITE
P35655 AERIAL VIEW OF SITE

<16> National Record of the Historic Environment, 453117 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jan 11 2024 11:00AM