Monument record MDO5660 - Mound, Gussage St Michael

An elongated circular mound situated in the earthworks of a prehistoric settlement. Interpreted as a possible round barrow or a short long barrow, although it may be part of the earthworks of the surrounding settlement.

‘An ancient British burial mound.’ <1>

Mound under plough, 23.0m NE-SW by 16.0m NW-SE by 1.0m high. It could be an elongated round barrow or a short long barrow. Alternatively it may be a part of the earthworks of the surrounding settlement. <2>

Doubtful bowl barrow lying among earthworks at ST 99281412. It is 24 paces by 14 paces across, and 2ft high. <3>

A mound among the earthworks on Gussage Hill has been suggested to represent the remains of a barrow. An entry in the Ordnance Survey Object Name Book, dated 1900, describes the feature as "an ancient British burial mound". Ordnance Survey field investigation in 1954 recorded the mound as being 23 metres northeast-southwest by 16 metres northwest-southeast, and standing to a height of 1 metre in a ploughed field.

Three possible interpretations were offered: (i) an elongated round barrow; (ii) a short long barrow; or (iii) part of the earthworks of the surrounding settlement. Grinsell describes the mound as "among earthworks; perhaps not a barrow", and listed it in his bowl barrow gazetteer. The mound is not mentioned in the RCHME inventory.

<1> Ordnance Survey, 1900, Ordnance Survey Object Name Book reference revision 1900, Rev ONB 1900 2 (Unpublished document). SDO16339.

<2> Rigg, J, Field Investigators Comments JR, F1 JR 06-APR-54 (Unpublished document). SWX1255.

<3> Grinsell, L V, 1959, Dorset Barrows, p112 (Monograph). SDO132.

<4> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey map 6 inches to 1 mile, 1963 (Map). SDO11924.

(ST 99281413) Tumulus (NR)

<5> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1975, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume V (East) (Monograph). SDO129.

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 210014 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jul 29 2024 1:10PM