Monument record MDO7036 - King's Barrow, Arne

A Bronze Age round barrow now situated in a garden. This monument was subject to antiquarian investigation in the late 18th century. It was reported to contain a burial (perhaps headless) in hollowed tree-trunk coffin of oak, placed south east/north west. The skeleton was said to have been wrapped in deer skin sewn together, with a cup of wood or shale and a piece of gold ‘lace’.

In the garden of 'The Kings Barrow' is a circular area of approx. 35.0m. diameter where the soil content is lighter and of different texture to the rest of the garden. When freshly tilled and also when under certain crops the circle is most marked. The land has been tilled for many years.

The circular area is of a higher elevation than the rest of the garden and was thought by Col. Blain to be a barrow. The only find in the immediate area was the skull of an unknown animal. The ground was planted with cabbages. A slight mound was visible but it was too low and spread-out to be surveyed or assessed as a barrow. Centre surveyed at SY 91918593. <1>

Animal skull mentioned in Authy 1. identified by Major Gay, Asst. Curator of Exeter Museum, as that of a Red Deer. (See SY 98 NW 13 for possible find spot of bronze axes). <2>

SY 920858. Kings Barrow, round barrow. Scheduled. <6>

<1> Rigg, J, Field Investigators Comments JR, F1 JR 30-JUL-52 (Unpublished document). SWX1255.

<1.1> Blain, Colonel, The King's Barrow, Wareham (Monograph). SDO18303.

<2> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F2 NVQ 22-AUG-52 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<3> Grinsell, L V, 1959, Dorset Barrows, 86 (Monograph). SDO132.

<4> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1969 edition OS map (Map). SWX1540.

Kings Barrow (NR)

<5> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 435 (Monograph). SDO150.

‘(36) King's Barrow, bowl (?) (SY 98 NW; 92048572). Now in a garden and covered with trees and shrubs. Diam. uncertain, ht. about 5½ ft. In 1767 said to be 100 ft. in diam., 12 ft. high and apparently constructed of turves. In centre on sandy buried surface was primary inhumation (probably Wessex culture) without skull, wrapped in stitched animal skins, within a hollowed oak tree coffin 10 ft. long by 4 ft. wide by 3 ft. deep orientated N.W.-S.E. Attached to one skin was 'gold lace' 4 ins. by 2½ ins. with 'bits of wire' in it. Near the S.E. end of the coffin was a small cup, now lost, 2 ins. high, at most 3 ins. in diam. at the rim, with sides only 1/5 in. thick, and decorated with incised lines. Though described as of oak, it was more probably made of Kimmeridge shale. (Salisbury Journal 9th Mar. 1767; Gentleman's Magazine (1767), 53–4; Hutchins I, 100, 563; W.A.M. XLIV (1928), 101–5 and 111–17; P.P.S. XV (1949), 101–6.)’

<6> Department of the Environment, 1977, Department of the Environment (IAM) Ancient Monuments of England (Vol 1), p59 (Monograph). SWX2598.

<7> Grinsell, L V, 1982, Dorset Barrows Supplement, 32 (Monograph). SWX1703.

<8> Papworth, M D J, Trust for Wessex Archaeology, 1983, Isle of Purbeck Survey, IOP 78 (Index). SDO147.

‘Situated in a private garden and densely overgrown. Colonising species include rhododendron, pine and sycamore. A low rise disturbed by past excavation. 1/3/C.’

<9> National Record of the Historic Environment, 456682 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Oct 22 2024 2:55PM