Monument record MDO6708 - Prehistoric burial, Old Granary Close, Preston, Weymouth

Human bones observed during housing development in 1986 proved to be the remains of two skeletons. The first grave was very disturbed but subsequent excavations revealed the remains of the second grave, in which the body had been laid on its back with its legs flexed. Very small sherds of pottery were recovered; these suggested a prehistoric, possibly Bronze Age date.

During construction of a new housing development at Preston, Weymouth a fairly high bank was created to form a new roadway. In September 1986 a student noticed a human skull protruding from the bank, which was subsequently removed by the police for coroners examination. The police removed practically the whole of one skeleton and the skull and main bones of the right leg of a second, but did not note the details of the mode of burial. The site was more carefully examined some days later by Ron Lucas and Clare Randall, who excavated the remaining bones of the second individual.

The second body had been laid on its back with its legs flexed to the left, an adult, probably male, height approximately 5ft 7in. It was orientated SSW to NNE with the head to SSW. The second skeleton appeared to be that of a young teenager had been placed directly on top of the lower body with head to the north.

On top of the bodies was a fill of earth and large stones but it is not possible to tell whether there was a cairn or not. The burial was within sight of bronze age barrows on the ridgeway to the north. No grave goods were recovered but some small sherds of pottery, too small for formal identification, were indicative of prehistoric and possibly Bronze Age. <1>

Two skeletons were discovered in a road cutting during housing developments at Preston, SY701834. The police had removed one skeleton, and later examination could not determine whether the inhumations were within a cairn or a grave. Eight pottery fragments from the grave fill are certainly prehistoric, possibly Bronze Age. <2>

<1> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1987, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1986, 174-175 (Serial). SDO86.

<2> National Record of the Historic Environment, 891446 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Feb 27 2023 2:13PM