Monument record MDO5613 - Long barrow on Thickthorn Down, Gussage St Michael

A long barrow situated on the crest of the ridge between the Gussage and Crichel valleys, close to the Dorset Cursus. In 1975 the monument was described as having a well-preserved mound nearly 100 feet long, 60 feet wide and 8 feet high, within a distinct U-shaped ditch; which surrounds all but the southeastern end, measured 23 feet across and up to 3 feet deep. Excavations in 1933 discovered three burials in pits dug into the mound, interpreted as secondary burials. Each consisted of an adult skeleton, one accompanied by a child, and all were thought to be females. No human remains were found in a primary position either beneath the mound or within the ditch.

(ST 97191225) Long Barrow (NR). <3>

A long barrow situated on Thickthorn Down on the crest of the ridge between the Gussage and Crichel valleys. Aligned SE to NW, it lies close to the Cursus (SU 01 NW 91) and is clearly associated with it. The mound is nearly 100ft long, 60ft across and 8ft high. It stands within a ditch 23ft across and up to 3ft deep, which is U-shaped in plan and open to the SE.

When the barrow was excavated in 1933 no primary interment was found, but Windmill Hill ware occured at a primary level in the ditch and Peterborough ware was found at a higher level. Three secondary interments, all apparently of females, were discovered. Two were accompanied by bell beakers (Clarke, type E) and one of those with a beaker was also accompanied by the remains of a young child. Finds are in the Dorset County Museum. <4>

A fresh interpretation of the barrow suggests it is a 'bayed' long barrow, divided longitudinally by internal hurdles. Re-examination of the molluscan evidence confirms the 1936 report that the barrow was built in open, dry, grassland. A C-14 date of 3210-45 bc (BM 2355) (uncalibrated) was obtained from an antler pick found on the old land surface beneath the mound, which is surprisingly early. <5>

The barrow was completely excavated in 1933 by CD Drew and Stuart Piggott, assisted by Alexander Keiller and WEV Young among others. Drew and Piggott had suggested that the mound was preceded by a turf-built mortuary structure. However, re-analysis of the published sections suggests that, like a number of other barrows on the southern English chalklands, the mound was in fact constructed in a series of bays, perhaps defined and divided by rows of hurdles.

The primary ditch fills included sherds of Early Neolithic pottery, 2 carved chalk phalli, and a quantity of animal bone, with particular concentrations occurring in the ditch terminals at the southeast end. This pattern of deposition continued into the late Neolithic, with Peterborough Ware and animal bone again focused on these terminals. 4 secondary crouched inhumations, associated with Beaker pottery, were inserted into the centre of the mound, arranged in a line along the long axis of the barrow. One was also accompanied by a bronze awl. A few Beaker sherds also came from the ditch. 3 pits beneath the mound contained chalk rubble, burnt flints and charcoal. 3 postholes were found at the open end but their date and relationship to the mound are unclear.

<1> Drew, C D, and Piggott, S, 1936, 'The Excavation of Long Barrow 163a on Thickthorn Down, Dorset'; Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society, Vol 2, 1936, p 77-96. The Excavation of Long Barrow 163a on Thickthorn Down, Dorset. (Article in serial). SDO16785.

<2> Grinsell, L V, 1959, Dorset Barrows, 79 (Monograph). SDO132.

<3> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey map 6 inches to 1 mile, 1963 (Map). SDO11924.

<4> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1975, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume V (East), p25 (Monograph). SDO129.

<5> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1986, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1985, Vol 107, p174-6. Bradley, R and R Entwistle. Thickthorn Down Long Barrow - a new assessment. (Serial). SDO85.

<6> Barrett, J, Bradley, R and Green, M, 1991, Landscape, Monuments and Society: the prehistory of Cranborne Chase (Monograph). SDO16633.

<7> Barrett J, Bradley R and Hall M, 1991, Papers on the prehistoric archaeology of Cranborne Chase, Vol 11, p134-200, Cleal, RMJ. Cranborne Chase - the Earlier Prehistoric Pottery (Monograph). SDO18498.

<8> Barrett J, Bradley R and Hall M, 1991, Papers on the prehistoric archaeology of Cranborne Chase, Vol 11, p231-241, O'Connor, B. Bronze Age Metalwork from Cranborne Chase: a catalogue. (Monograph). SDO18498.

<9> Thomas, J, 1991, Rethinking the neolithic (Monograph). SDO18497.

<10> Kinnes, I, 1992, Non-Megalithic Long Barrows and Allied Structures in the British Neolithic, No. 52, [Cranborne Chase: ST 10] (Monograph). SDO10065.

<11> McOmish, D and Tuck, C, 2002, The Dorset Cursus (Unpublished document). SDO16471.

<12> Historic England, Historic England Archive, Object Number: RCH01/091. Annotated publication proofs for SDO129. (Index). SDO14738.

Original survey material has been catalogued.

<13> National Record of the Historic Environment, 210037 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Dec 16 2023 8:12AM