Monument record MDO5337 - Bowl barrow, Winterborne Whitechurch

A bowl barrow. In 1970 this monument was reported as being around 30 feet in diameter with a mound about one foot high. The antiquarian William Shipp investigated a barrow on Whitechurch Down in 1864, and it is thought likely to have been this barrow. Shipp found a flint cairn over a circular cist containing a cremation, and four later inhumation burials within the mound.

(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>

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

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 Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 20-NOV-54 (Unpublished document).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

‘In 1864 William Shipp opened a barrow, possibly (25), on 'Whitechurch Down' (now East Down) close to Combs Ditch. At the centre, under a flint cairn, a deep circular cist was cut into the natural Chalk; it contained a primary cremation together with nine 'rudely chipped arrow heads' in a large 'bucket' urn. Four inhumations, one crouched and three extended, were found above the cairn and a small urn was found just below the surface on the S. side of the mound (C.T.D., Pt. 2, No. 41; Ant. J. XIII (1933), 448). … (25) Bowl (86100134), 22 yds. E. of (24), is similar to it in condition. Diam. 30 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.

Record last edited

Jul 22 2024 2:34PM