Monument record MDO47742 - Bronze Age round barrow, Blandford St Mary

The possible site of a Bronze Age round barrow is visible as a cropmark ring ditch on aerial photographs taken in 1970 in the field to the west of New Plantation, Blandford St Mary. The feature was digitally recorded during the Dorset Middle Stour AI&M Project.

Two barrows, on Littleton Down, were opened in 1938 by Mr.H.Durden. One, 7ft.high and 45ft.diameter, contained an urn which was surrounded by a circular wall of flints. The other barrow contained an urn in a cist beneath a pile of flints. <1>

An urn, in Mr.Durden's collection, was found by him in one of a group of five barrows on Littleton Down, between Blandford and Thorncombe. Another urn (apparently from the same group of tumuli) was found in a cist. It contained a cremation, and measured 11 inches in height and 32ins. In circumference. <2>

Reference to authority 3. Rough siting at ST865040 apparently deduced from authorites 1 and 2. <4>

One bucket urn, one globular urn, from Littleton Down. They belong to the Deverel-Rimbury culture. (References given to authorities 1 and 2 above.) <5>

The area 'Littleton Down' is probably that now known as 'Little Down', on the west side of the junction of Littleton Drove and the main Dorchester to to Blandford road. <5>

From the information in 4, it seems probable that these tumuli were in the Little Down area. It is possible that the two barrows now visible (ST 80 SE 8 and 9) may have formed part of the group, but as there is no evidence for this the site has been retained as a marginal one.

The Little Down area agrees with the description "between Blandford and Thorncombe" given by 2. <6>

A compact group of six barrows near Thorncombe Nos 33-38 (see ST 80 SE 4) may contain the two barrows opened by Henry Durden in 1838. (See authorities 1-3). <7>

<1> Wools, C, 1839, The Barrow Diggers. A dialogue in imitation of the Grave Diggers in Hamlet., 50, 91-2 (Monograph). SWX2974.

<2> Warne, C, 1866, The Celtic Tumuli of Dorset (1866), 5 (Monograph). SWX8166.

<3> Society of Antiquaries of London, 1933, The Antiquaries Journal 13, 445 (Serial). SDO16730.

<4> Grinsell, L V, 1935-54, Dorset Barrows 1935-54 Manuscript (Unpublished document). SWX1556.

<5> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 06-NOV-54 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<6> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F2 NVQ 02-SEP-55 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<6.1> Mrs Bugg, Oral: Mrs Bugg (wife of owner), Littleton Farm, Charlton Marshall (Verbal communication). SDO20453.

<7> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 1, 45 (Monograph). SDO148.

<8> National Record of the Historic Environment, 205637 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jan 15 2024 11:18AM