Monument record MDO41 - Barrow to the north-east of Merry Hill Barn, Abbotsbury

A small mound visible on aerial photographs. Thought most likely to be a Bronze Age round barrow, thought it might also be a clearance cairn, or possibly be natural in origin.

SY 60588441. Situated on a narrow grass covered ridge is a small stony mound. The ground slopes down sharply on the north side of the mound. Its diameter is 14.0m; its height is 0.5m on the south side, 0.4m on the west, and 1.0m on the east. There is no visible ditch. The mound is possibly a bowl barrow, although the possibility of an agricultral stone dump cannot be discounted completely. (Quinnell 1955)

SY 60598442. Barrow located and surveyed on field document. (Ordnance Survey 1959)

SY 60598441. The mound is as described by authority 1. Its position on the very summit of a narrow ridge favours its classification as a barrow, but its amorphous appearance does not entirely support this. Re-surveyed at 1:2500 on MSD. (Barton 1980)

A small stony mound, possibly the site of a round barrow or clearance cairn, is visible as earthworks on aerial photographs (Royal Air Force 1946), 335m to the north-east of Merry Hill Barn. The feature, which may alternatively be of natural origin, was digitally plotted during the South Dorset Ridgeway Mapping Project.

Historic England, National Record of the Historic Environment, 452768 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Barton, J G, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigator's Comments JGB, F2 JGB 24-APR-80 (Unpublished document). SDO11900.

Quinnell, N V, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigator's Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 15-APR-55 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Large Scale/Small Scale Map Reviser's comments, S 25" (A E Finn Surveyor 4.2.59) (Verbal communication). SDO19451.

Royal Air Force, 04-NOV-1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1824 3322-3 (Aerial Photograph). SDO12115.

Grinsell, L V, 1982, Dorset Barrows Supplement (Monograph). SWX1703.

Record last edited

Sep 2 2026 3:05PM