Monument record MDO5336 - Bowl barrow, Winterborne Whitechurch

A bowl barrow situated near the top of a rise. The ditch of this monument is visible as a dark circular soil mark on aerial photographs taken in 1947, and it was reported in 1970 as having been much ploughed.

(Centred ST 861013) " Two barrows shown on 1" 1st Edn 1811 and visible on air photographs" (RAF/CPE/UK/1934 3122-3 Jan 1947). <1>

Two grass-covered and now ditchless bowl barrows. Each is approximately 11.0m in diameter and 0.3m high. <2>

A-ST 86100133. Ditched bowl barrow, 13 paces diameter and 1 foot high.

B-ST 86120135. Ditched bowl barrow, 10 paces diameter and 1 foot high. <3>

A-ST 86080133. A much ploughed bowl barrow, 40ft diameter and 1 foot high. An air photograph <4.1-4.2> shows the ditch as a dark ring.
B-ST 86100134. A bowl barrow, in similar condition to A, measures 30ft diameter and 1 foot high.

B is possibly the barrow opened in 1864 by William Shipp on 'Whitechurch Down' (now East Down) close to Combs Ditch (see S0 80 SE 49). <4>

RCHM also state that "Barrows shown on Tithe Map of 1839 at ST 85700176 and ST 86120135 (see barrow B siting) have been destroyed". The latter grid reference is probably in error as Grinsell, also quoting the same source, positions the barrows at ST 85700176 and ST 85800173 (see ST 80 SE 40). The OS 1" 1811 siting of these barrows agrees with Grinsell. <5>

<1> Rivet, A L F, Annotated record map 6", 21.5.53 (Map). SDO17443.

<2> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 20-NOV-54 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<3> Grinsell, L V, 1959, Dorset Barrows, 158 (Monograph). SDO132.

<4> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 2, 314 (Monograph). SDO136.

'(24) Bowl (86080133), 220 yds. S.E. of Charisworth and 30 yds. W. of Combs Ditch, lies near the summit of a local rise in the Chalk, at just over 400 ft. O.D.; it has been much ploughed. An air photograph (R.A.F. CPE/UK 1934: 3122) shows the ditch as a dark ring. Diam. about 40 ft., ht. 1 ft.'

<4.1> Royal Air Force, 17-JAN-1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1934 3121-22, 3122 (Aerial Photograph). SDO17789.

<4.2> Royal Air Force, 17-JAN-1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1934 3123 (Aerial Photograph). SDO17805.

<4.3> Warne, C, 1872, The Celtic Tumuli of Dorset (1872) (Monograph). SWX2254.

<4.4> Society of Antiquaries of London, 1933, The Antiquaries Journal 13, 448 (Serial). SDO16730.

<5> National Record of the Historic Environment, 205652 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Mar 14 2022 2:15PM