Monument record MDO5686 - Bowl Barrow in the Simon's Ground Group, Ferndown

A bowl barrow excavated by Dr D A White in 1967 and 1968. Excavations revealed this barrow to be a low mound beneath which was a central cremation burial in an inverted urn and, beside it, a rectangular setting of four stake-holes. The barrow was enclosed in a penannular ditch causewayed on the south east. To the south of the barrow was an urnfield containing forty vessels.

SU 061001. A number of Late Bronze Age burial urns were found in 1953 at Simon's Ground, Stapehill; it was reported that many more urns and other objects had been found in the past, but not kept. None of the urns recovered intact, apart from one whichcrumbled as it dried out. Some of the pots contained burnt bone. (1)

SU 06250005. A large Deverell-Rimbury urnfield with over eighty burials, and an immediately adjacent round barrow about 40ft. In diameter, were excavated in 1967. Trial trenching in areas adjacent to barrows revealed the existence of three more barrows, one with at least five secondary cremations in urns. At Simon's Ground, Hampreston. (2)

A group of five barrows excavated, or in the process of being excavated, by Dr. White for the MPBW. `C' SZ 06489984: bowl barrow 12.0m. In diameter and 0.6m. High. Group surveyed 1:2500. (3)

Excavations were concluded in 1969; only barrow `A' was not excavated.
About ninety urns were found.
C: SZ 06499985. A bowl barrow comprising a low mound beneath which were found a central cremation burial in an inverted urn and, beside it, a rectangualar setting of four stake-holes. A penannular ditch, causewayed on the south-east, encircled the barrow.Adjacent on the south was an urnfield containing forty vessels. (4,6)

C14 determinations have been made for two of the barrows:
Barrow E (centre) -917 bc I 55 (BM-694)
Barrow E (pits in West part) 741 bc I 58 (BM-696)
Barrow C (Chancel in primary Urn) -604 BC I 47 (BM-692). (7)

Full report on the excavations. (8)

National Record of the Historic Environment, 457862 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

<1> Farrar R A H, 1954, Archaeological Fieldwork in Dorset in 1953 & 1954. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 96 (Article in serial). SDO9753.

<2> Ministry of Public Buildings and Works, 1969, Excavations Annual Report, 8 (Serial). SDO20593.

<3> Wardale, C F, Various, Field Investigators Comments CFW, F1 CFW 25-MAR-69 (Unpublished document). SWX2704.

<4> Department of the Environment, 1969, Department of the Environment Archaeological Excavations 1969, 7-8 (Serial). SWX2426.

<5> White, D A, 1970, Excavations on Bronze Age and other Barrows in East and South Dorset for the Ministry of Public Buildings and Works. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 175-176 (Article in serial). SDO20592.

<6> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1975, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume V (East), 29-30 (Monograph). SDO129.

'Simon's Ground Group (36-40) comprises at least five barrows at the edge of a plateau, 100 ft. above O.D., overlooking lower ground to the S. Four barrows were excavated in 1967 and 1968 by Dr. D. A. White, to whom we are indebted for information which follows; (39) has not been excavated. Barrows formerly at about SU 06170005 and SZ 06379992 had been destroyed previously. … (40) Bowl (06499985), 40 yds. S.E. of (39), was a low mound beneath which were found a central cremation burial in an inverted urn and, beside it , a rectangular setting of four stake-holes; a penannular ditch, causewayed on the S.E., encircled the barrow. Adjacent on the S. was an urnfield containing forty vessels.'

<7> Grinsell, L V, 1982, Dorset Barrows Supplement, 15 Table A (Monograph). SWX1703.

<8> White, D A, 1982, The Bronze Age Cremation Cemeteries at Simon's Ground, Dorset (Monograph). SDO14047.

Record last edited

Mar 20 2024 4:28PM