Monument record MDO6363 - Saucer Barrow, Oakley Down Group, Wimborne St Giles

Saucer barrow forming part of the Oakley Down Group, north of the A354. In 1975 the RCHME reported that the monument was almost levelled by ploughing, but formerly consisted of a low mound 60 feet in diameter, surrounded by a shallow ditch and a very low outer bank, both some 15 feet across.

A saucer barrow, part of a linear group (see associated monuments) lying just to the north of the main Oakley Down barrow group (SU 01 NW 19). It was described by RCHME as mound almost levelled by ploughing, measuring 60 feet in diameter and surrounded by a shallow ditch and outer bank, both 15 feet across. The largest of the barrows in this linear sub-group of the Oakley Down barrows, it appears to overlie a lynchet belonging to a "Celtic" field system (SU 01 NW 71). The barrow has been suggested by Grinsell to be that depicted as no. 26 by Hoare on his plan of the Oakley Down barrows. If the identification is correct, it is worth noting that Hoare appears to portray this as a disc barrow, with a small central mound surrounded by a berm, ditch and outer bank. Although numbered by Hoare, it is not immediately apparent that it was excavated by him. Grinsell claims that it was "probably opened by Hoare without result". However, Hoare refers to a few barrows on the west side of the A354, two of which were dug into and may be tentatively identified with his barrows 26 and 27, though they are not so numbered in the text. If so, this saucer or disc barrow can perhaps be identified with the one described by Hoare as follows: "On the same side of the road [as Wor Barrow], but nearer to Woodyates Inn, is another small tumulus, in which the interment had been disturbed".

The barrow is probably one opened by Sir Richard Colt Hoare without result. It is noted by the RCHME that the barrow appears to overlie a ‘Celtic’ field lynchet, although this is interpretation may perpetuate older, pre-modern notions of the date-range of such field systems, and might best be treated with caution.

<1> Grinsell, L V, 1959, Dorset Barrows, 171 (Monograph). SDO132.

<2> Colt Hoare, Sir Richard, 1975, The ancient history of Wiltshire, 243, [Plan opposite p.236] (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.

‘(114) Saucer (01801753), now almost levelled by ploughing, formerly consisted of a low mound 60 ft. in diameter, surrounded by a shallow ditch and a very low outer bank, both about 15 ft. across. The barrow appears to lie over a 'Celtic' field lynchet (Group (85)).’

<4> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1312449 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Sep 30 2022 4:21PM