Monument record MDO3327 - The Broad Stone, Winterbourne Abbas

"Half a mile W [of the stone circle 39 SE 6] ... in the road, is large, flat, rude stone, about 10ft long, 5fft broad, and 2ft thick, perhaps the remains of a cromtech. <1>

Similar information called The "BROAD STONE". <2>

"Lies flat - sarsen not conglomerate". <4>

Conglomerate stone, the type which may well have been used for a megalithic purpose. <5>

A sarsen set in the verge at the roadside, and partly turf covered. The stone has the following approximate dimensions:- length 2.8m; breath 1.5m; depth 0.5m. Possibly of a megalithic period, but there is no visible evidence by which the stone can be dated. It is extremely weathered on the S. side. See AO/55/24/7. <6>

A-SY59569039 B-SY59659036
A - a semi circular bank with an inner height of 1.0m and an outer height of 0.6m crossed by an obviously later E-W road fence north of which the feature has been destroyed. See GP Overall diam 27.0m. It is grass covered and has a heavy scatter of flint. There are no interior features. It is situated in a much disturbed valley floor. At the SW there is a marked lowering of the bank giving an entrance effect which is probably original. Apparently a pond barrow. B is similarly situated to A and like the BROAD STONE is probably sandstone conglomerate and much weathered. The greater portion of the stone, which leans to the south, is probably embedded in the ground, the maximum length of the exposed face and also the width is 0.9m. No other stones were found in the vicinity. <7>

<1> Shipp, W, and Hodson, J W (eds), 1863, The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset. 3rd edition. Volume 2, 196 (Monograph). SWX1269.

<2> Warne, C, 1872, Ancient Dorset (2nd Edition), 196 (Monograph). SWX1971.

<3> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1903 (Map). SWX1540.

[SY 59539040] THE BROADSTONE [OE]

<4> Crawford, O G S, Annotated record map 6 inch (Map). SWX7265.

<5> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, RCHM Mss file (Unpublished document). SDO18524.

<6> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 03-JAN-55 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<7> Rigg, J, Field Investigators Comments JR, F2 JR 24-JAN-55 (Unpublished document). SWX1255.

<8> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 515 (Monograph). SDO150.

'(56) THE BROAD STONE (SY 59 SE; 59549040; Plate 217), a large sarsen boulder, lies half-buried in the scarp falling from the S. verge of the Bridport Road 2530 yds. W. of Winterbourne Abbas Church. It is approximately 9 ft. long, 4 ft. wide and 2 ft. thick with the long axis E. to W. and a pointed E. end. All markings appear to be natural. (Hutchins II, 196.)'

<9> Historic England, Historic England Archive, AA73/00786 (Index). SDO14738.

SARSEN/SANDSTONE CONGLOMERATE (?) LIES FLAT,1/2 MILE WEST OF NINE STONES CIRCLE.SUPPOSED REMAINS OF CROMLECH/BURIAL CHAMBER

<10> Historic England, Historic England Archive, AA73/00787 (Index). SDO14738.

SARSEN/SANDSTONE CONGLOMERATE (?) LIES FLAT,1/2 MILE WEST OF NINE STONES CIRCLE (SY69SW17) SEE ALSO AO55/24/7.ASSOCIATED WITH STANDING STONE AT SY 5965 9036 (AO55/31/5) ADJACENT TO POND BARROW

<11> Historic England, Historic England Archive, OS55/F24/7 (Index). SDO14738.

THE BRAOD STONE AT WINTERBOURNE ABBAS FROM THE SOUTH

<12> National Record of the Historic Environment, 451206 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Dec 20 2023 3:53PM