Monument record MDO5944 - Long barrow, Pentridge

A Neolithic long barrow, subsequently enlarged into a bank barrow. One of two long barrows lying end-to-end close to the south east end of the Dorset Cursus. Aligned broadly southeast-northwest, the mound has suffered some damage by ploughing to its northwestern end, but in 1975 RCHME measured it at 185 feet long. At the broader and higher southeastern end, it measured 60 feet wide and 6 feet high, tapering towards the north west. Ploughing had almost totally obscured surface traces of the side ditches. Immediately southeast, and broadly sharing the same alignment, is another long mound MDO5945, separated from the long barrow by a gap of a few metres. Again, it was accompanied by parallel flanking ditches. There has been some debate about the relationship between the two mounds. MDO5944 is clearly a long barrow, and it seems likely that the Dorset Cursus was aligned on it. MDO5945 has been variously considered as another long barrow, or as an extension to MDO5944. MDO5945 shows no variation in height or width along its length and appears to represent a "tail" added to MDO5944, albeit at the "wrong" end, presumably because the existence of the Cursus terminal prevented any northerly extension of the long barrow's mound. Although Atkinson (1955) claimed that the side ditches of the two mounds were continuous, this does not seem to be the case. There appears to be a gap in the ditches corresponding with the gap between the two mounds. Thus MDO5944 predates the Cursus and MDO5945 post-dates it.

(SU 04081913 & SU 04121906) Long Barrows (NR) <4>

(21) Long Barrow (04081913), one of a pair set end-to-end immediately S.E. of the end of the Cursus, is aligned S.E.-N.W. upon it. The mound, badly damaged by ploughing at its N.W. end, is 185 ft. long; at the S.E. end it is 60 ft. wide and 6ft. High, decreasing N.W. Ploughing has almost totally obscured the side ditches and has widened and squared-off the gap between this barrow and (22) [Note: ie MDO5945].

These barrows appear significantly related to the north east end of the Dorset Cursus (linear 41). See also the barrow to the south (SU 01 NW 42) [Note: ie MDO5943]. <5>

A Neolithic long barrow, subsequently enlarged into a bank barrow. Immediately south east of the terminal of the Dorset Cursus (Linear 41) is a long barrow, listed by RCHME as Pentridge 21 and by Grinsell as Pentridge IIb. Aligned broadly southeast-northwest, the mound has suffered some damage to its northwestern end, but RCHME measured it at 185 feet long. At the broader and higher southeastern end, it measured 60 feet wide and 6 feet high. Ploughing had almost totally obscured surface traces of the side ditches. Immediately southeast, and broadly sharing the same alignment, is another long mound, separated from the long barrow by a gap of a few metres. This other barrow is listed by RCHME as Pentridge 22 and by Grinsell as Pentridge IIa, RCHME described it as a mound 270 feet long, 70 feet wide and 5 feet high, and with a level top. Again, it was accompanied by parallel flanking ditches. There has been some debate about the relationship between the two mounds. Pentridge 21 is clearly a long barrow, and it seems likely that the Dorset Cursus was aligned on it. Pentridge 22 has been variously considered as another long barrow, or as an extension to Pentridge 21. This latter is the view currently favoured. Pentridge 22 shows no variation in height or width along its length and appears to represent a "tail" added to Pentridge 21, albeit at the "wrong" end, presumably because the existence of the Cursus terminal prevented any northerly extension of the long barrow's mound. Although Atkinson (1955) claimed that the side ditches of the two mounds were continuous, this does not seem to be the case. There appears to be a gap corresponding with the gap between the two mounds. Thus Pentridge 21 predates the Cursus and Pentridge 22 post-dates it. Note that a round barrow, SU 01 NW 41 [Note: ie MDO5956], lies at the southeastern end of Pentridge 22. <1-3, 5-8>

NRHE Summary:
A Neolithic long barrow, subsequently enlarged into a bank barrow. Immediately south east of the terminal of the Dorset Cursus (Linear 41) is a long barrow, listed by RCHME as Pentridge 21 and by Grinsell as Pentridge IIb. Aligned broadly southeast-northwest, the mound has suffered some damage to its northwestern end, but RCHME measured it at 185 feet long. At the broader and higher southeastern end, it measured 60 feet wide and 6 feet high. Ploughing had almost totally obscured surface traces of the side ditches. Immediately southeast, and broadly sharing the same alignment, is another long mound, separated from the long barrow by a gap of a few metres. Listed by RCHME as Pentridge 22 and by Grinsell as Pentridge IIa, RCHME described it as a mound 270 feet long, 70 feet wide and 5 feet high, and with a level top. Again, it was accompanied by parallel flanking ditches. There has been some debate about the relationship between the two mounds. Pentridge 21 is clearly a long barrow, and it seems likely that the Dorset Cursus was aligned on it. Pentridge 22 has been variously considered as another long barrow, or as an extension to Pentridge 21. This latter is the view currently favoured. Pentridge 22 shows no variation in height or width along its length and appears to represent a"tail" added to Pentridge 21, albeit at the "wrong" end, presumably becasue the existence of the Cursus terminal prevented any northerly extension of the long barrow's mound. Although Atkinson (1955) claimed that the side ditches of the two mounds were continuous, this does not seem to be the case. There appears to be a gap corresponding with the gap between the two mounds. Thus Pentridge 21 predates the Cursus and Pentridge 22 post-dates it. Note that a round barrow, SU 01 NW 41, lies at the southeastern end of Pentridge 22. <13>

Gill, M, 2024, Magnetometry Survey at Five Long barrows near the Dorset Cursus (Unpublished document). SDO21224.

<1> Crawford, O G S and Keiller, A, 1928, Wessex from the Air, 230-2 (Monograph). SDO12591.

<2> VARIOUS, Antiquity, Antiquity 29, 1955, 4-9, Atkinson, RJC. The Dorset Cursus (Serial). SDO17970.

<3> Grinsell, L V, 1959, Dorset Barrows, 81 (Monograph). SDO132.

<4> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1963 (Map). SWX1540.

<5> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1975, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume V (East), 56-7 (Monograph). SDO129.

‘Four certain long barrows and one probable occur in the parish; they all appear to be associated with the Dorset Cursus (GUSSAGE ST. MICHAEL (9)). Barrow (19) is incorporated into the bank of the Cursus; the others are sited near and are aligned upon its N.E. end on Bokerley Down (Plate 56). All but (19), which has been planted with conifers, have been damaged by repeated ploughing around them. … (21) Long barrow (04081913), one of a pair set end-to-end immediately S.E. of the end of the Cursus, is aligned S.E.-N.W. upon it. The mound, badly damaged by ploughing at its N.W. end, is 185 ft. long; at the S.E. end it is 60 ft. wide and 6 ft. high, decreasing N.W. Ploughing has almost totally obscured the sided ditches and has widened and squared-off the gap between the barrow and (22).’

<6> Bradley, R, 1984, The Bank Barrows and related monuments of Dorset in the light of recent field work; Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 105, 15-20, 15-20 (Article in serial). SDO14130.

<7> Bradley, R, 1986, The Dorset Cursus : the archaeology of the enigmatic. Wessex lecture 3 (Verbal communication). SDO19054.

<8> Barrett, J, Bradley, R and Green, M, 1991, Landscape, Monuments and Society: the prehistory of Cranborne Chase, 49-51 (Monograph). SDO16633.

<9> McOmish, D and Tuck, C, 2002, The Dorset Cursus (Unpublished document). SDO16471.

<10> Historic England, Historic England Archive, Object Number: 1094233 (Index). SDO14738.

Object Title: SU 01 NW 40, 41 (SU 0419), LINEAR 41 (Dorset cursus, SU 0419), LINEAR 74 (Bokerley dyke, SU 0419) and LINEAR 76 (Grim's ditch, SU 0419) (1969). Scope & Content: Antiquity Model: Resurveyed.

<11> Historic England, Historic England Archive, Object Number: 884208 (Index). SDO14738.

Object Title: RCHME: Pentridge Long Barrows, Dorset.

<12> Historic England, Historic England Archive, Object Number: RCH01/091. (Index). SDO14738.

Object Title: RCHME Inventory: Dorset V (East). Scope & Content: Annotated publication proofs for Dorset V, East Dorset, published in 1974. Also includes original surveys, drawings and field notes, and unpublished material. Original survey material has been catalogued.

<13> National Record of the Historic Environment, 213531 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Feb 3 2025 10:28AM