Monument record MDO3428 - Earthwork north of Ballarat Farm, Winterbourne Steepleton

A circular depression or hollow of uncertain date and function. Marked as a tumulus on the 1880 OS map. Also visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs. Located within the area of the Winterbourne Abbas Corridor Geophysical Suvey in 2017 (EDO7852) but not discussed in report (SDO18127).

A circular depression or hollow of uncertain date and function. Marked as a tumulus on the 1880 OS map. <1>

Field investigators comments recorded on a site visit in March 1955 suggest that it may perhaps be the site of a former barrow that has been completely dug out to form a pond 10.0m in diameter and 1.0m deep. The flinty upcast is noted as having been used to make a bank. 0.2m high, on the downhill side (north-west). There was no trace of a ditch. <2>

Possibly upcast from an adjoining pit. <3>

SY 62788871. A circular depression with a stony bank on the north-west (downhill) side only. Overall diameter 11.0m, depth 0.8m, height of bank 0.2m. There is no visible ditch. Possibly a pond barrow but more likely an artificial pond. Re-surveyed at 1:2500 on MSD. <5>

It is also visible as an earthwork hollow on aerial photographs <6> and was digitally plotted during the South Dorset Ridgeway Mapping Project.

Located within the area of the Winterbourne Abbas Corridor Geophysical Suvey in 2017 (EDO7852) but not discussed in report (SDO18127). The report only mentions this monument as something in the vicinity of the corridor but location of monument indicates that it is actually within the corridor, not just near it. The report therefore makes no further mention of the monument or suggest which field it should sit within.

<1> Ordnance Survey, c.1880, Ordnance Survey 25-inch map epoch one, Dorset 46/4 1889 (Map). SDO18132.

ISY 62788870) Tumulus (NR)

<2> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 24-MAR-55 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<3> Grinsell, L V, 1959, Dorset Barrows, 156 (Monograph). SDO132.

<4> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1963 (Map). SWX1540.

(SY 62788870) Tumulus (NR) (site of) (NAT)

<5> Barton, J G, Various, Field Investigators Comments JGB, F2 JGB 15-FEB-80 (Unpublished document). SDO11900.

<6> Royal Air Force, 04-NOV-1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1824 4277-9 (Aerial Photograph). SDO11870.

<7> Roseveare, M J, 2017, Visual Impact Provision (VIP) Project – Dorset, Geophysical Survey Report (Unpublished document). SDO18127.

<8> National Record of the Historic Environment, 452454 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Nov 14 2023 7:17AM