Monument record MDO6580 - King Barrow, Portland

From KING BARROW and in the DORSET COUNTY MUSEUM a quern stone found close to one or two beehive cells though to be BHUT HOLES. A mortar and flint balls (mulling stones) found close to one or two beehive cells. Found June 4 1898. <1>

Corn [Carbonised grain] from a beehive chamber at KING BARROW. Found in a pot close to human remains. <2>

KING BARROW was quarried about 1890-1900. There were considerable finds, I believe, which were taken to Dorset County Museum. I know no details. <3>

The curator of Dorset County Museum could not be contacted at the time of field investigation. The area has been quarried out and no trace of antiquity was found. The name king barrow points to the probability of a barrow of that name being situated there before quarrying began. The site is on a platform. <4>

Two pear-shaped jars in Portland Museum, Iron Age 'C' or Roman, come from King Barrow quarry, and a wheel-made jar of Romano-British, grey ware and two 2nd century dishes are probably from the same site. <5>

<1> 1904, Portland Year Book, p87 (Monograph). SWX1996.

<2> Labelled bottle in Portland Museum (Artifact). SWX1997.

<3> Sansome, 1955, Oral: Mr Sansome 3.6.55 Manager Bath and Portland stone Firms (Verbal communication). SWX1998.

<4> Rigg, J, Field Investigators Comments JR, F1 JR 08-JUN-55 (Unpublished document). SWX1255.

<5> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 606 (Monograph). SDO150.

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 451687 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jan 4 2024 3:00PM