Monument record MDO5429 - Cinerary urn found on Chalbury Hill, Chalbury

An urned cremation burial in an inverted cinerary urn was found in 1878 in a paddock adjoining Chalbury Rectory. Possibly the site of a round barrow.

LBA Urn found on Chalbury Hill 1878. <1>

In January 1878 a workman digging gravel in a paddock adjoining the Rectory at Chalbury found a large cinerary urn which collapsed on touching. It appeared to have been an elliptically-shaped with a major axis of 12 inches and a minor axis of 9 inches, and a depth of 10 inches. The urn, inverted and full of bones and black earth, was resting on gravel 18 inches below the surface of the ground. Its rim was marked with slanting parallel lines 3 inches long and half-inch apart. <2>

CHALBURY HILL HOUSE was formerly CHALBURY RECTORY & the enclosure to the immediate NW is known as the Paddock. I have no knowledge of a cinerary urn being found there but gravel was obtained from there many years ago. <3>

[SU 01860688] The Paddock, situated on the top of the hill is now grass covered but a glacis type bank appears to be the result of the gravel working. There is no sign of a barrow. <4>

<1> Parry, D W, Corrected 6" map, 8.5.51 (Map). SDO19698.

Ref to: Ed. Cunnington's Note book in Dorchester Museum Library

<2> Swatridge, G C, Various, Field Investigators Comments GCS, F1 GCS 25-MAR-54 (Unpublished document). SWX1169.

<2.1> Unnamed Press cutting dated 9.1.1878 in possession of Rev T Brewster, Holton. (Verbal communication). SDO19700.

<3> Swatridge, G C, Various, Field Investigators Comments GCS, F2 GCS 25-MAR-54 (Unpublished document). SWX1169.

<3.1> Oral: Group Captain A D Lewis Roberts, Chalbury Hill House, Chalbury, 25.3.54 (Verbal communication). SDO19699.

<4> Swatridge, G C, Various, Field Investigators Comments GCS, F3 GCS 25-MAR-54 (Unpublished document). SWX1169.

<5> National Record of the Historic Environment, 213037 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Mar 27 2023 5:07PM