Monument record MDO7208 - Bowl barrow, one of the Bloxworth Down Group, Bloxworth

A Bronze Age bowl barrow, one of a large group on Bloxworth Down. The site of this round barrow is visible as a low earthworks on lidar imagery and cropmarks on aerial photographs. It comprises a ring ditch 33m across traces of an internal mound which may have been disturbed in antiquity (a large rectilinear pit being visible running north south across the middle).

'G' : SY 8765967 … 'G' and 'F' are probable bowl barrows. (Grinsell 1935-54 Manuscript)

Sitings as above except 'H' : SY 87679628; 'K' : SY 87669620 'L' : SY 87709619; 'G' : SY 87649628; 'F' : SY 87639629. A group of twelve barrows comprising eight definite bowl barrows - 'A', 'B', 'C', 'D', 'H', 'J', 'K', and 'L'; three probable bowl barrows - 'F', 'G' and 'M'; a disc-barrow - 'E'. The group is visible on air-photographs. 'F', 'H' and 'M' are ploughed out; the bank and ditch of 'E' is only partly visible. A 25" survey has been made. (Swatridge 1954))

Save for 'K' and 'L', the majority of this group is currently inaccessible. It is notable that air photographs (J) and (K) show a field system SY 89 NE 18 (now ploughed out) where some field boundaries terminated on barrows (see sketch plan).

'F' and 'G'. Not visible, but one mound surveyed by Authority (Swatridge 1954) and lettered 'G'. Accepted as two barrows by Grinsell, and RCHM ('ploughed flat').

O.S. air photographs show the distinct cropmark of the ditch of one bowl (?) barrow, about 35 metres overall diameter and centred at SY 87629628. The cropmark of the mound is visible as two separate parts, the result of a bisecting trench, about 8 metres wide, set in a N.E./S.W. direction. Since the barrow was not portrayed on the O.S. 25" 1901, it seems that little was then visible and the excavation trench was probably of 19th century origin.

Barrows, other than 'A', 'B' and 'C' which are clearly extant, have been retained on the M.S.D. pending future investigation. (Attrill 1981)

The site of this round barrow is visible as a low earthworks on lidar imagery (Environment Agency 2021) and cropmarks on aerial photographs (NMR 24629/48; NMR 27312/01). It comprises a ring ditch 33m across traces of an internal mound which may have been disturbed in antiquity (a large rectilinear pit being visible running north south across the middle), it was digitally recorded during the Dorset Middle Stour AIM.

Swatridge, G C, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigator's Comments GCS, 1954-11-09 (Unpublished document). SWX1169.

Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1902 (Map). SWX1540.

['A' : SY 87679623; 'B': SY 87699621; 'C' : SY 87729623; 'D' : SY 87689625; 'E' : SY 87709628.] TUMULI [OE]

Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1963 (Map). SWX1540.

('A': SY 87679623; 'B': SY 87699621; 'C': SY 87729623; 'D': SY 87689625; 'E'; SY 87709628; 'G': SY 87659628; 'J': SY 87709623; 'K': SY 87669619; 'L': SY 87699619) Tumuli (NR)

National Monuments Record, 03-OCT-2011, NMR 27312/01 (Aerial Photograph). SDO19894.

National Monuments Record, 06-JUN-2007, NMR 24629/48 (Aerial Photograph). SDO19895.

Environment Agency, 16-NOV-2021, LIDAR Environment Agency DTM (Aerial Photograph). SDO18034.

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

Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 440 (Monograph). SDO150.

‘Bloxworth Down Group (SY 89 NE). Fifteen barrows, including one disc or bell-disc, and comprising all the barrows in the parish, lie on a N. slope at the W. end of a chalk ridge between 170 ft. and 236 ft. above O.D.; (29) is on the highest point in the parish, and ten others cluster N. and E. of it. … Two have been destroyed and all but (29) and (30) are badly damaged by ploughing, as are adjacent 'Celtic' fields (Group 33). … (37) Barrow (?) (87649628) 20 yds. E.S.E. of (36). Diam. about 55 ft., but ploughed almost flat.’

<2> Proceedings of the Archaeological Institute, 93 1849 (Serial). SDO19703.

<2.1> John Hutchins, edited by Gough and Cuming, 1774, The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset. 1st edition. Volume 1, 184 (Monograph). SWX2949.

<2.2> Warne, C, 1866, The Celtic Tumuli of Dorset (1866), No 14 (Monograph). SWX8166.

<2.3> Society of Antiquaries of London, 1871, Archaeologia 43, 495 (Serial). SDO17248.

<2.6> Abercromby, J, 1912, A Study of the Bronze Age Pottery of Great Britain and Ireland (Monograph). SDO10121.

<2.7> Clay, Dr, Annotated Record Map 6" (Dorset County Museum), pte 6" 1963 (Map). SDO18027.

<6> Abercromby, J, 1912, A Study of the Bronze Age Pottery of Great Britain and Ireland, 65 2 (Monograph). SDO10121.

<7> Royal Air Force, 11-APR-1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 3344-5 (Aerial Photograph). SDO19635.

<9> Society of Antiquaries of London, 1935, Archaeologia 85, 217 (Serial). SDO19666.

<11> Grinsell, L V, 1959, Dorset Barrows, 94 (Monograph). SDO132.

<14> National Monuments Record, 28-MAR-1968, NMR 68/040-47 (Aerial Photograph). SDO18043.

Record last edited

Oct 14 2025 12:18PM