Monument record MDO6741 - Wallisdown Round Barrow, Poole

Bronze Age bell barrow completely excavated in 1949, which revealed two small pits and stake holes covered by a small turf core and gravel mound.

'(363) Bell (SZ 09 SE; 05689432), built over after complete excavation by H.J. Case in 1949. Overall diam. 43 ft. A central oval sod mound 14 ft. by 12 ft. and 1½ ft. high was edged by revetment of sandy material 22 ft. by 17 ft. and covered with gravel, giving the whole mound diam. Of 26 ft. and ht. of about 2½ ft. Berm 3 ft. wide within ditch 5 ft. wide and about 2 ft. deep, interrupted on S.E. by causeway at least 3½ ft. wide. Previous disturbance had destroyed any evidence of burial.
Two small pits containing charcoal were excavated, one 3½ ft. long immediately E. of centre and the other 7½ ft. W. of centre. Beneath mound and on berm were thirty-nine stake-holes, all except four between 1 in. and 4 ins. Deep in the Plateau Gravel subsoil. Twelve formed approximate circle 19 ft. in diam., outside, though not concentric with, edge of revetment around central sod mound. The only small finds were 274 struck flints, mostly from top of mound, and many fire-pitted pebbles. Probably Early of Middle Bronze Age, and possibly later than (364). (P.P.S. XVIII (1952), 148-59; and XIX (1953), 131-3.). (1)

<1> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 447-8 (Monograph). SDO150.

<2> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1950, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1949, 67 (Serial). SDO49.

Two Bronze Age bell barrows in heathland whichhave been destroyed by a housing estate at Wallis Down were completely excavated in the autumn, 1949, by Mr. H. J. Case, assisted at first by Mr. P. Ashbee, on behalf of the Inspectorate of Ancient Monuments (Ministry of Works). The barrows were in immediate proximity, and both had been disturbed centrally, probably by former excavators.

Barrow I contained a central urnless cremation. It had a single ditch - a good circle 35 feet in diameter interrupted by a causeway. A short alignment of postholes led to this causeway, and here posthole of a gateway or barrier were found. Within the ditch two concentric rings of postholes were in relation to a small mount of turf encased in a thick outer covering of sand and gravel.

Barrow II probably once covered a primary burial on the ground surface. A pit of plainly ritual character filled with charcoal and ash was found near the centre. Like the first, this barrow had a single ditch with causeway, in this case an irregular circle 36 feet in diameter, and its mound had been constructed of turf revetted with soil and covered with sand and gravel. There were many stakeholes under the mo0und arranged with only moderate regularity.

Both barrows overlooked the Bourne Bottom from which they oucld be seen on the skyline, and both causeways were aligned towards it. The construction of both barrows had evidently been accompanied by fires and the scattering of fire-marked pebbles, flint flakes and cores. The only charcoal identified was oak.

In the absence of datable finds, it was not possible to assign the barrows to any particular period of the Bronze Age.

Record last edited

Sep 4 2023 11:59AM