Monument record MDO4647 - Neolithic/Bronze Age pits near Mampitts Lane, Shaftesbury

Multi-phase prehistoric occupation revealed during grave-digging; in the form of a circular pit with a hearth at the bottom. The pit was just over two metres in diameter, and the filling of the pit contained worked flint points and pottery of Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age date. The function of the pit is not known, but it is presumed to represent occupation of some sort. A second circular pit, adjoining the previous and producing similar dating evidence, was partially excavated subsequently – see MDO22322. Both are reported as producing Early Iron Age pottery from their upper fills.

ST 87252284. In December 1949 a pit, 9ft. in diameter and about 4ft deep, with a central hearth of ash and charcoal was found during grave-digging [Note: ie MDO4647]. The undisturbed half of the pit was subsequently excavated by Mr. N. Teulon Porter. The finds consisted of knapper's waste, mostly flint flakes, though flint is not local, and a few completed tools including scrapers and a small greensand rubber. Pottery sherds from the bottom of the pit were identified at the British-Museum as probably late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age. There was a scatter of Early Iron Age sherds in the infilling of the pit. <1>

Later a second pit was completely excavated [Note: ie MDO22322], this was 3-4 ft. N.W. of the edge of the first site. It was similar, 8ft.,in diameter and 1ft.6ins deep. In the central hearth were found about 100 small lumps of a mixture of charcoal and ash bound together with some adhesive material - fat is tentatively suggested. The finds from these excavations are in the Shaftesbury Museum. <2>

Mr Teulon Porter pointed out the site on the plan but had no additional information.

The site falls in the centre of a graveyard and no visible trace remains of the pits. <3>

<1> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1950, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1949, 60-61 (Serial). SDO49.

<1.1> Historic England, Historic England Archive, N Teulon Porter Report to Shaftesbury & Dist Historial Society (Index). SDO14738.

<2> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1951, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1950, 94 (Serial). SDO50.

'Further discoveries at Mampitts Lane near Shaftesbury; nat. grid ST(31)/87252285. A second circular pit adjoining that described in last year's Proceedings was partially dug out by N. Teulon Porter who sends this information. It lay 3-4 ft. N.W. of Pit no. 1, measuring edge to edge, and a section through it showed it to be about 8 ft. in diam. at the top, and about 1 ft. 6 ins. deep, with irregular sides apparently trodden down. A central hearth, of ash only, was found, smaller than that in pit 1 and allowing for the same width of squatting floor. A number of worked flint points, and a few sherds of nondescript pottery of Neolithic or Early Bronze Age character similar to that found last year, were found on the floor of the pit. There were no objects in the hearth debris, but amongst the ash were about a hundred small round lumps of mixed charcoal and ash bound together with some adhesive material (fat ?).

The lower filling of the pit contained more sherds similar to the above, and may represent spoil from the pit perhaps originally disposed round it as a wind-break and later pushed back into the hole. The upper filling contained more of these sherds and also, as in pit 1, some of Early Iron Age date.

Samples of the lumps from the hearth and the remainder of the finds are in the museum at Shaftesbury.'

<3> Edwards, D W, Field Investigator's Comments DE, F1 DE 26-JAN-56 (Unpublished document). SDO18341.

<4> National Record of the Historic Environment, 206396 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jan 5 2023 10:23AM