Monument record MDO6367 - Bowl barrow, Oakley Down Group, Wimborne St Giles

Bowl barrow forming part of the Oakley Down Group, immediately north of the A354. In 1975 the RCHME reported that the monument was 68 feet in diameter, with a mound surviving to a height of 4 feet, but had been much spread by ploughing. Previous investigation revealed a primary inhumation, with secondary cremation and inhumation burials.

A bowl barrow, part of the group of barrows spread across Oakley Down (SU 01 NW 19). RCHME described it as being "much spread by ploughing" but visible as a mound 68 feet in diameter and 4 feet high. It is cut on its southeast side by the A354. It was excavated early in the 19th century by Cunnington and Hoare (their barrow 2). Four feet below the surface they found the skeleton of a very young person aligned north-south. At five feet down they found a cremation deposit accompanied by a bone pin and some bone beads (Devizes Museum lists a bone pin and "fragments of bone" <4>). At a depth of 9 feet was another inhumation, again aligned north-south. Both RCHME and Grinsell assume this to be the primary interment.

The primary inhumation was of an adult at a depth of about 9 feet, and oriented north-south. The first secondary interment was a cremation burial, at a depth of about 5 feet and and accompanied by a bone pin and lozenge-shaped bone beads. A subsequent inhumation at a depth of about 4 feet was of a child, and was also oriented north-south.

<1> Grinsell, L V, 1959, Dorset Barrows, 143 (Monograph). SDO132.

<2> Annable, F K, and Simpson, D D A, 1964, A guide catalogue of the Neolithic and Bronze Age collections in Devizes museum, 56, 111, No. 378 (Unpublished document). SDO18620.

<3> Colt Hoare, Sir Richard, 1975, The ancient history of Wiltshire, 237 (Monograph). SDO18077.

<4> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1975, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume V (East), 103 (Monograph). SDO129.

‘(118) Bowl (01991756), (Hoare No. 2), now much spread by ploughing, lies immediately N.W. of the Salisbury-Blandford road. A primary inhumation was found at a depth of 9 ft. A secondary cremation accompanied by lozenge-shaped bone beads and a bone pin was found at 5 ft. A secondary inhumation of a child was found at 4 ft. (Devizes Mus. Cat., 1964, No. 378). Diam. 68 ft., ht. 4 ft.’

<5> Bowen, H C, 1990, The Archaeology of Bokerley Dyke (Monograph). SWX800.

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1312508 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jan 22 2025 12:33PM