Monument record MDO7046 - Bowl barrow, Arne Hill

Bronze age bowl barrow situated on Arne Hill in the Isle of Purbeck. The bowl barrow located at NGR SY96928816 has a mound composed of earth, sand and turf with a maximum diameter of 25 metres and a maximum height of circa 2.5 metres. The top of the mound has two small trenches likely to represent World War II dug-outs. Surrounding the mound is a ditch from which material was quarried during the construction of the monument. This survives as an earthwork 3 metres wide and circa 0.75 metres deep and is flanked by an outer bank 2.25 metres wide and circa 0.5 metres high. The levelled barrow located at NGR SY97168806 had a small mound composed of earth, sand and turf. This was reduced during World War II. The quarry ditch surrounding the mound has become infilled over the years and survives as a buried feature. Scheduled.

A SY 96948816. Bowl barrow, 35 paces diameter and 7ft high with hollow centre and surrounded by tree-clump circle. (Arne No 11). <1>

A SY 96928815. Ditched bowl barrow, 95ft diameter and 9 1/2ft high with ditch 14ft wide and 1 1/2ft deep. There is an outer bank which is possibly a tree-clump enclosure. <3>

Bronze age bowl barrow situated on Arne Hill in the Isle of Purbeck. The bowl barrow located at NGR SY96928816 has a mound composed of earth, sand and turf with a maximum diameter of 25 metres and a maximum height of circa 2.5 metres. The top of the mound has two small trenches likely to represent World War II dug-outs. Surrounding the mound is a ditch from which material was quarried during the construction of the monument. This survives as an earthwork 3 metres wide and circa 0.75 metres deep and is flanked by an outer bank 2.25 metres wide and circa 0.5 metres high. The levelled barrow located at NGR SY97168806 had a small mound composed of earth, sand and turf. This was reduced during World War II. The quarry ditch surrounding the mound has become infilled over the years and survives as a buried feature. <5>

The remains of a Bronze Age round barrow are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs of Arne Hill <8-11> . The internal mound is approximately 28m in diameter and is surrounded by an outer ditch and bank. The outer bank is inturn surrounded by an outer ditch, giving the feature an overall diameter of approximately 38.3m. A trench visible in the top of the mound is considered likely to be the result of the re-use of the barrow during the Second World War and may be associated with the Heavy Anti Aircraft battery that was located nearby (MWX675). This site was digitally plotted during the South West Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey (Dorset). This feature, although much levelled, is still visible as earthworks on the most recent comprehensive imagery available to the project <12>.

<1> Grinsell, L V, 1959, Dorset Barrows, 86 (Monograph). SDO132.

<2> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1963 (Map). SWX1540.

Tumulus (NR) (B-SY 97178807) Tumulus (NR) (Site of)

<3> 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.

<4> 1978, List of ancient monuments in England: Southern England, 59 (Monograph). SWX1558.

<5> 1996, English Heritage Schedule Entry: Bowl Barrow (Unpublished document). SWX2874.

<6> Papworth, M D J, Trust for Wessex Archaeology, 1983, Isle of Purbeck Survey, IOP 88 (Index). SDO147.

‘Prominent rise situated on heathland, heather and gorse covered. Ditch clear, surrounded by a bank, possibly a tree clump enclosure. Part of a wildlife reserve. O.S.SY98NE1. 1/2/B.’

<7> English Heritage, English Heritage Schedule Entry, 07/02/1996 (Scheduling record). SDO17387.

<8> Royal Air Force, 17-JAN-1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1934 F36 3046-48 (Aerial Photograph). SDO12731.

<9> Royal Air Force, 09-MAY-1952, RAF/540/723 F10 5178-79 (Aerial Photograph). SDO12751.

<10> National Monuments Record, 18-NOV-2005, NMR SY 9688/6 24137/06 (Aerial Photograph). SDO12752.

<11> Channel Coastal Observatory, 15-OCT-2010, CCO Aerial Photographic Coverage 2009 (Aerial Photograph). SDO12622.

<12> Google Earth, 2013, Google Earth 2013 (Aerial Photograph). SDO12686.

<13> National Record of the Historic Environment, 456623 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Oct 25 2024 4:46PM