Monument record MDO7147 - Rabbit warren, Bere Regis

One of two mounds on Warren Heath, situated on either side of a low ridge and interpreted as probable pillow mounds. In 1970 this monument was reported as being an elongated mound around 90 feet long and about 15 feet wide with parallel sides.

SY 85069130 A long mound with a ditch on the south side is probably either a rabbit-warren or, as locally believed, an old rifle-butt. <2>

This earthwork, orientated north west-south east, measures 30m east-west and 10m north-south with an average height of 0.2m. There are no traces of side ditches and the feature is now under grass. It is unlikely to have been a rifle-butt as suggested by Authy 2 since it is sited slightly below the crest of a hill. <3>

Two mounds, probably rabbit warrens, lie on either side of a flat-topped ridge on Warren Heath.

a. SY 85059130 Ditched oval mound, immediately above the steep south slope is 140ft long, north west-south east and 35ft wide; the height varies from 1 1/2ft at the north west end falling to 9ins at the south east end. A Ditch, 12ft wide and 9ins eep runs along the south west side and around the north west end, probably continuing along the north east side.

b. SY 85159142 Elongated mound with parellel sides, 165 yds north east of (a) and similarly sited above a steep north-facing slope. Formerly about 90ft long, west-east and 15ft wide, now ploughed almost flat. <4>

'Rabbit Warren' is shown on the Tithe Apportionment of 1845 according to Mills at the place name of Warren (shown on OS plans at SY 8591). Mills adds that "the abbess of Tarrant had a warren in Bere Regis in 1402". <5>

Ploughed out - no remains. <6>

<1> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1902 (Map). SWX1540.

(SY 85069129) Tumulus (NR)

<2> Grinsell, L V, Dorset Barrows (Unpublished MSs) (Unpublished document). SWX2678.

<3> Rigg, J, Field Investigators Comments JR, F1 JR 10-SEP-52 (Unpublished document). SWX1255.

<4> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 481 (Monograph). SDO150.

‘(117 a, b) Mounds, two (SY 89 SE), probably rabbit warrens, lie on either side of a flat-topped N.W.-S.E. ridge about 150 ft. above O.D. on Warren Heath, 2 miles S.S.E. of St. John the Baptist's Church.
(a) Ditched oval mound (85059130), immediately above steep S. slope 660 yds. W. of Warren House (Bere Regis (53)). Length N.W.-S.E. 140 ft., width 35 ft. Ht. 1½ ft. at N.W. end falling to 9 ins. at S.E. end. Ditch 12 ft. wide and 9 ins. deep along S.W. side and around N.W. end, probably continuing along N.E. side.
(b) Elongated mound with parallel sides (85159142), 165 yds. N.E. of (a) and similarly sited above a steep N.-facing slope. Formerly about 90 ft. long W.-E. and 15 ft. wide, now ploughed almost flat.’

<5> Mills, A D, 1977, The place-names of Dorset, Part 1: the Isle of Purbeck, the hundreds of Rowbarrow, Hasler, Winfrith, Culliford Tree, Bere Regis, Barrow, Puddletown St George, 280 (Monograph). SWX972.

<6> Attrill, N J, Field Investigators Comments NJA, F2 NJA 14-MAY-81 (Unpublished document). SDO14743.

<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, 456124 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Mar 8 2023 3:13PM