Monument record MDO6348 - Mound, perhaps three small bowl barrows, part of the Oakley Down Group, Wimborne St Giles

An elongated mound, perhaps three small bowl barrows very close together. In 1975 the mound was reported as measuring approximately twenty nine metres by twelve metres, and just over one metre high. The mound was dug into by the antiquarian Richard Colt Hoare, who found three cremations: one in a cist with ashes only, one with a pair of bone tweezers in a large urn and one in an urn with an amber bead.

A bowl barrow, part of the Oakley Down barrow group (SU 01 NW 19). It was described by RCHME as a low elongated mound aligned southwest-northeast and damaged by ploughing. The mound measured 95 feet by 40 feet, and 3.5 feet high. No side ditches were visible. Grinsell suggested that the mound in fact comprised 3 confluent bowl barrows, something implied by the location of the cremations found when the mound was excavated by Cunnington and Hoare in the early 19th century. Hoare's barrow 22, it "contained three interments. That towards the north consisted of ashes and burned bones enclosed within a cist. That towards the south produced a similar deposit within a very large urn of coarse and thick pottery, together with a pair of bone tweezers. The central interment was also enclosed within a sepulchral urn of rude pottery, together with one amber bead". Hoare thought it was a long barrow, though its comparatively small size and the anomalous position of the burials were noted by him.

Probably three confluent small bowl barrows. Three primary cremations, 22a in cist with ashes only, 22b with large urn and bone tweezers, 22c with single amber bead in urn. <1>

<1> Grinsell, L V, 1959, Dorset Barrows, 145 (Monograph). SDO132.

<2> Colt Hoare, Sir Richard, 1975, The ancient history of Wiltshire, 242 (Monograph). SDO18077.

<3> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1975, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume V (East), 102-103 (Monograph). SDO129.

'(99) Barrow (01611708), (Hoare No. 22), in the form of a low elongated mound aligned S.W.-N.E., has been damaged by ploughing. Three cremations, perhaps primary, were found: at the N.E. within a cist; at the centre with an amber bead in an urn; at the S.W. in a large urn accompanied by a pair of bone tweezers. Dimensions of mound: 95 ft. by 40 ft., and 31/2 ft. high; no side ditches are visible.'

<4> Bowen, H C, 1990, The Archaeology of Bokerley Dyke (Monograph). SWX800.

<5> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1312369 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Mar 7 2024 7:12PM