Monument record MDO6067 - Prehistoric settlement, Sixpenny Handley

An enclosure of probable Iron Age/Romano-British date, much disturbed by quarrying and reduced by ploughing. In 1975 the best preserved part of the enclosure was described as surviving as a ditch around 21 feet across and 3 feet deep, with a very slight inner bank. Two gaps in the earthworks may be entrances, and seem to be approached by trackways, but it is not clear that either is original. This monument may be Totenburg mentioned in a charter of AD 956.

Surface finds from ST 9602 1609 include Samian ware, Durotrigian pottery with countersunk handles an iron ox-goad and considerable quantities of iron slag. <3>

Ploughing in the southern half of the enclosure produced a body sherd in brownish-grey sandy fabric with frequent calcined flint filler, presumably Bronze Age or early Iron Age, and one rim sherd of Black-Burnished Ware (BB1) flanged rim dish of the 2nd century AD. <5>

Ovoid enclosure, area 5 hectares. Recent finds include Durotrigian and Roman British pottery, fibula and blue glass bead from north area with marks of dense occupation on AP; (information Mr M Green). [Plans of comparable sites]. <6-7>

The site has been largely levelled by ploughing and affected by quarrying. It is not recommended for scheduling. <8>

<1> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1937, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1936, 118 (Serial). SDO39.

<2> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1963 (Map). SWX1540.

ST 961 160: Earthwork (NR)

<3> Council for British Archaeology, 1969, Council for British Archaeology: Group 12 (Wessex) & Group 13 (South West): Archaeological review (Serial). SDO17256.

<4> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1972, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume IV (North), 69-70 (Monograph). SDO99.

‘(24) ENCLOSURE, probably Iron Age and/or Romano-British (Plate 63), adjoins the W. boundary of the parish, ½ mile N.N.E. of Farnham (961160); it lies on the E. slope of a spur, between 325 ft. and the summit at 360 ft. above O.D. It comprises a roughly circular area of some 12 acres defined by a ditch, but the whole has been disturbed by quarrying and severely mutilated by ploughing. The S. half is barely visible on the ground, but air photographs (N.M.R., ST 9616/6/189) confirm its existence and show clear indications of former occupation within the enclosure. On the N. side, where it is best preserved, the ditch measures some 21 ft. across and 3 ft. deep and there are slight indications of an inner bank. There are gaps in the earthwork on the N.E. and the N.W. sides; a hollow way leads downhill S.E. from the former and air photographs show hollow ways approaching the latter, but it is not certain that either gap represents an original entrance. The site has been identified with Totenberg, which occurs in a Handley charter of 956 (see (25)).’

<4.1> National Monuments Record, NMR ST 9616/6/189 (Aerial Photograph). SDO18470.

<5> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1985, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1984, 115 (Serial). SDO84.

<6> Bowen, H C, 1990, The Archaeology of Bokerley Dyke (Monograph). SWX800.

<7> Bowen, H C, 1991, The Archaeology of Bokerley Dyke: Inventory, 29 (Monograph). SDO14864.

<8> English Heritage, English Heritage Alternative Action Report, MPPA, 06-Nov-2001 (Scheduling record). SDO18279.

<9> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, Externally held archive: RCH01/091 RCHME Inventory: Dorset V (East) (Unpublished document). SDO18032.

<10> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 884573 RCHME: Minchington Settlement, Sixpenny Handley, Dorset (Index). SDO14738.

"SE of Half Hide Coppice" not identified in Dorset 5

<11> National Record of the Historic Environment, 209781 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 11 2023 1:36PM