Monument record MDO5657 - Wyke Down Henge 1, Gussage St Michael

Neolithic hengiform monument on Wyke Down. It had appeared as a cropmark ring ditch on air photographs, but excavation in 1983-4 revealed a sub-circular arrangement of closely-spaced pits, with an entrance to the south. There was no evidence that the pits held any posts; finds from this primary phase included flint tools, carved chalk objects and animal remains. A second phase of use was represented by a shallow recut in the upper fill of each pit, and this was associated with the use of Grooved Ware pottery, as well as flints, animal remains and some human remains. A third and final phase is represented by a shallow pit at the centre of the enclosed area. Beaker and Collared Urn sherds were also found during the excavations. The entrance appears to face in the direction of the area of later Neolithic activity overlying the Dorset Cursus to the south.

SU 00661529. Ring ditch, diameter 18 m (very approx) seen as soil mark by Mr M. Green. Adds to Wyke Down Group of barrows [SU 01 NW 32, 35]. <3>

A hengiform monument on Wyke Down excavated in 1983-4 by Martin Green. It had appeared as a cropmark ring ditch on air photographs, but excavation showed it to comprise a sub-circular arrangement of closely-spaced pits (26 in all), with an entrance to the south. Internal diameter of the enclosed area varied between 17 metres and 19.5 metres. There was no evidence that the pits held any posts. Finds from this primary phase included flint tools and carved chalk objects, plus animal remains. A red deer antler from the base of one pit provided an uncalibrated radiocarbon date of 2090+/-90 BC. A second phase of use was represented by a shallow recut in the upper fill of each pit. This phase was associated with the use of Grooved Ware pottery, as well as flints, animal remains and some human remains (a skull fragment and some cremated bone). Uncalibrated dates from charcoal associated with this phase are 2190+/-80 BC and 2200+/-50 BC. A third and final phase is represented by a shallow pit at the centre of the enclosed area. Animal bone from the primary fill produced an uncalibrated date of 1510+/-90 BC. Beaker and Collared Urn sherds were also found during the excavations. The entrance appears to face in the direction of the area of later Neolithic activity overlying the Dorset Cursus (Linear 41) to the south (see SU 01 SW 143). The monument lies a short distance to the southwest of the Wyke Down barrow group (SU 01 NW 35), itself part of a more dispersed concentration of round barrows and ring ditches in this area on either side of the cursus. None of the Wyke Down group have been excavated. All are presumed to be Bronze Age. <1, 2, 4, 5>

[Note: The source SDO16724 identifies MDO5657 as Wyke Down Henge 1 and MDO42578 as Wyke Down Henge 2.]

<1> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1983, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1983, 140-1 (Serial). SDO83.

<2> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1985, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1984, 110 (Serial). SDO84.

‘WYKE DOWN HENGE SECOND AND FINAL INTERIM REPORT.
Further excavation in 1984 has practically completed work on the site, with only three pits remaining to be examined (leaving five on the east side unexcavated). The sequence uncovered in 1983 was unaltered by further excavation. The pits towards both terminals were substantially richer in finds and included much more grooved ware, flintwork, a stone axe and fragment of a human skull mostly from the recuts. The western terminal pit was much longer than the others previously excavated and had a sparse scatter of cremated bone within the recut. Another pit had a discrete deposit of ash with minute flecks of cremated bone within it and had the appearance of having been contained in a bag. Backfilling of the site will be deferred pending possible restoration of the site.’

<3> Bowen, H C, 1991, The Archaeology of Bokerley Dyke: Inventory, 8, Gussage St Michael 47 (Monograph). SDO14864.

<4> Barrett, J, Bradley, R and Green, M, 1991, Landscape, Monuments and Society: the prehistory of Cranborne Chase, 92-106 (Monograph). SDO16633.

<5> Barrett J, Bradley R and Hall M, 1991, Papers on the prehistoric archaeology of Cranborne Chase, Vol 11 (Monograph). SDO18498.

<6> Prehistoric Society, 1997, PAST: Newsletter of the Prehistoric Society (Serial). SDO16724.

<7> National Record of the Historic Environment, 872078 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Oct 26 2022 9:42AM