Find Spot record MDO45506 - Bronze Age rapier found on Shapwick Down, Shapwick

A Middle Bronze Age rapier found in 1851 on Shapwick Down is in the British Museum's Durden Collection. It was found during ploughing. The exact findspot is not known.

[ST 960 030] Bronze rapier 23 1/2" long, 2 9/16" width at base. Two rivet holes in tang. Mid & two side ribs.
Mr. Symer Cuming records that it was found in ploughing on 22nd Nov 1851, about 100 yds from & in front of the principal entrance of BADBURY RINGS. (Not within the camp as stated by (a)) It has erroneously been attributed to Tarrant Monkton in b.&.c. Now in the British Museum. [DURDEN collection quoted as an
example of a BA rapier]. <1>

SHAPWICK DOWN Bronze Rapier in Durden Collection. Fd. 1851. BRIT. MUS. <2>

No further information was obtained during field investigation regarding the find spot of this rapier but classification and present location are obtainable from T.2. <4>

<1> Oliver, V L, 1936, Bronze Age Rapiers and Swords from Dorset (Article in serial). SWX1776.

<1.1> Shipp, W, and Hodson, J W (eds), 1870, The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset. 3rd edition. Volume 4, 177, 576 (Monograph). SDO17392.

<1.2> Payne, G (ed), 1892, Catalogue of the Museum of Local Antiquities collected by Mr Henry Durden of Blandford, Dorsetshire, 19 No 39 (Monograph). SDO17125.

<1.3> Crawford, O G S and Keiller, A, 1928, Wessex from the Air, 60 (Monograph). SDO12591.

<2> Calkin, J B, Annotated Record Map Corr. 6, 7.9.1951 (Map). SWX8351.

<3> British Archaeological Association, 1952, Journal of the British Archaeological Association, plate 23 (Serial). SDO18334.

<4> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 26-MAR-54 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<5> National Record of the Historic Environment, 209540 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Feb 9 2023 5:06PM