Monument record MDO4538 - Pillow mound, Okeford Hill, Okeford Fitzpaine

One of two oval mounds on the tip of a narrow spur, interpreted as possible pillow mounds. In 1970 this monument was recorded as measuring 29 feet by 21 feet, and about two feet high. An oval mound and quarry ditch are visible as earthworks on Okeford Hill on aerial photographs and Environment Agency lidar imagery. The feature is interpreted as a medieval pillow mound and was digitally plotted during the Mid Dorset Downs AIM project.

'A' (ST 81081023) and 'B' (ST 81111014) are two oval mounds, measuring 29 feet by 21 feet, and aligned east to west. They stand up to 2 feet high and have rounded cross-profiles. There are traces of a ditch on the south side of 'B' and on the north side of 'A' suggested as pillow mounds by Grinsell. (Grinsell 1959; RCHME 1970)

'A' ST 81071022 and 'B' ST 81101013. Two well preserved turf-covered pillow-mounds each measuring 9.0 m northeast/southwest by 6.0 m transversely, and up to 0.4 m high. The oval quarry scoops on the north of 'A' and south of 'B' average 5.0 m by 4.0 m and 0.2 m deep, and clearly the source of material for the mounds. Both mounds occupy the top of a very steep sided narrow north-south spur. Poorly defined on OS air photographs (Ordnance Survey 1975). Revised at 1:2500 on AM; transferred to MSD. (Stone 1978)

An oval mound and quarry ditch are visible as earthworks on Okeford Hill on aerial photographs and Environment Agency lidar imagery (NMR 2005; EA 2018). The feature as seen on lidar comprises an oval mound approximately 9.5m by 6.75m in size, with a 7m by 1.75m quarry ditch on its north side. It is interpreted as a medieval pillow mound and was digitally plotted during the Mid Dorset Downs AIM project.

National Record of the Historic Environment, 206231 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey 25-inch map, epoch 2, Dorset XIII.16 Revised: 1900, Published: 1902 (Map). SDO11594.

ST 81061022 Tumulus (NR)

Stone, J W, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigator's Comments JWS, F1 JWS 06-MAR-78 (Unpublished document). SDO11902.

Grinsell, L V, 1959, Dorset Barrows, 121 (Monograph). SDO132.

Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 2, 207 (Monograph). SDO136.

‘(48) Two low MOUNDS, (a) 81111014, (b) 81081023, lie just below 500 ft. above O.D. near the level tip of a narrow spur running northwards from Okeford Hill. Both mounds are aligned E.-W. and are oval in plan, measuring 29 ft. by 21 ft.; they stand up to 2 ft. high and have rounded cross-profiles. There are traces of a ditch on the S. side of (a) and on the N. side of (b). Suggested as pillow-mounds by Grinsell (Dorset Barrows, 121), their purpose is unknown.’

Department of the Environment, 1978, Department of the Environment (IAM) Ancient Monuments of England (Vol 2) (Monograph). SWX1687.

National Monuments Record, 24-JAN-2005, NMR 23787/13 (Aerial Photograph). SDO21541.

Ordnance Survey, 6.6.75, OS 75/371 004 (Aerial Photograph). SDO17764.

Environment Agency, xx-xxx-2018, Environment Agency National Lidar Programme DTM 1M (Aerial Photograph). SDO21483.

Record last edited

Dec 2 2025 3:14PM