Monument record MDO7135 - Bowl barrow, Bere Regis

A bowl barrow reported in 1970 as being a slight mound about one foot high and 36 feet across. The site of the barrow is visible as a cropmark ring ditch with traces of an internal mound on aerial photographs taken in 1947; they were digitally recorded during the Dorset Middle Stour AIM.

From 455965:

Two bowl barrows, 12 paces diameter and 1ft. High on arable ground. (2)

Two bowl barrows under grass, with no sign of ditches or excavations. 'A' - 0.2 metres high, indeterminable diameter. (3)

'A'-(106) - SY 83969724. Bowl (?) barrow, 36ft diameter and 1ft high, much spread. (4)

'A'. SY 83969725. This barrow has been ploughed flat; its site is marked by a scatter of stones. (5)

A bowl barrow located circa 350 metres north of Bere Down Farm. Listed by RCHME as Bere Regis 106 and by Grinsell as Bere Regis 2, it was originally described by RCHME as being a much spread mound 36 feet in diameter and 1 foot high. In 1981, the Ordnance Survey recorded it as having been ploughed flat, the site being marked on the surface by a scatter of stones. The barrow is scheduled. RCHME tentatively identified it with a barrow excavated circa 1850, one of four described by Warne and originally said to be on "Kingston Down", though it is now accepted that all four were on Bere Down. This barrow, assuming the RCHME are correct in their identification, was Warne's tumulus 10, and listed separately by Grinsell as Bere Regis 8b. Grinsell made no attempt to identify these four excavated barrows with any of the known extant barrows in the area. Warne described the barrow as being "not far distant from" his number 9, possibly SY 89 NW 40. The mound itself "was formed in part with chalk, in part stiff soil". Potsherds presumed to represent a secondary creamted interment disturbed by the plough were found close to the surface of the mound. Two further secondary deposits of "burnt bones and ashes", but no pottery, were also found. At the centre, below the mound, was a large urn inverted over a deposit of burnt bones and ashes. Warne's tumulus 10 was previously recorded separately as part of SY 89 NW 31. That record should be consulted for further sources and information. The extant earthwork barrow (RCHME Bere Regis 106) was formerly recorded as part of SY 89 NW 40. That record should also be consulted for further details. <9>

The site of the barrow is visible as a cropmark ring ditch with traces of an internal mound on aerial photographs taken in 1947; they were digitally recorded during the Dorset Middle Stour AIM. <11>

<1> Warne, C, 1866, The Celtic Tumuli of Dorset (1866), 9 (Monograph). SWX8166.

<2> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1902 (Map). SWX1540.

'A' (SY 83969725) 'B' (SY 83989727) Tumuli (NR)

<3> Grinsell, L V, 1935-54, Dorset Barrows 1935-54 Manuscript (Unpublished document). SWX1556.

<4> Swatridge, G C, Various, Field Investigators Comments GCS, F1 GCS 16-NOV-54 (Unpublished document). SWX1169.

<5> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 437 (Monograph). SDO150.

'(106) Bowl (?) (SY 89 NW; 83969724) 187 yds. N.N.E. of (105). Diam. 36 ft., ht. 1 ft. Much spread.'

<6> Barton, J G, Various, Field Investigators Comments JGB, F2 JGB 15-MAY-81 (Unpublished document). SDO11900.

<7> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, Externally held archive: RCH01/093 RCHME Inventory: Dorset II (South-East) (Unpublished document). SDO17434.

<8> National Record of the Historic Environment, 455965 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

<9> Grinsell, L V, 1982, Dorset Barrows Supplement, 32 (Monograph). SWX1703.

<10> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1300362 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

<10.1> Warne, C, 1866, The Celtic Tumuli of Dorset (1866), 10 (Monograph). SWX8166.

<11> Royal Air Force, 11-APR-1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 RP 3349-51 (Aerial Photograph). SDO19881.

Record last edited

Jun 19 2023 6:10PM