Monument record MDO7306 - Oval or bell barrow on Stonehill Down, Church Knowle

A barrow in a prominent position on a narrow steep-sided ridge. In 1970 this monument was recorded as an earthwork 96 feet long, 64 feet wide and 9 feet high, surrounded by a berm, narrow at the sides but more distinct and up to 8 feet wide at the ends, and a ditch. The mound is disturbed at the top, possibly as a result of antiquarian investigation. The barrow has variously been described as a long barrow, oval barrow and bell barrow. It appeared to be sub-circular on aerial photographs taken in 1946.

A bell barrow at SY 92348208 on Stonehill Down is oval in plan with its long axis in the direction of the hill. It is 124 feet across overall from east to west by 110 feet across north to south. The berm is vague and sloping. Possibly opened by Austen (see SY 98 SW 50). <2>

A bell barrow which measures 28.0 metres east-west by 22.0 metres north-south and has a height of 2.9 metres. It is surrounded by a ditch 6.0 metres wide and 0.5 metre deep,
except for breaks on the east and west which give a causewayed effect. It is flat topped and has a barely perceptible berm. <3>

An oval barrow, possibly a long barrow, is situated at SY 92348208 on Stonehill Down. Aligned almost E-W (88o), it is 96 ft long, 64 ft wide and 9ft high from the north. It is very rounded in profile, except for disturbance at the top, and is surrounded by a sloping berm, narrow and indistinct on the sides but well- marked and up to 8ft wide at either end. The ditch at most 1 ft. deep, is 12ft. Wide along the sides and 20ft. At the ends where it is now interrupted by causeways 11ft. Wide. The E. causeway, on the main E-W. axis, is clearly original but the western appears to be a later insertion; it dips as it crosses the ditch, which ends irregularly on either side of it. <5>

SY 923821. Round barrow on Stonehill Down. Scheduled Dorset 709. <6>

Listed by Grinsell as either a long barrow (Church Knowle II) or a bell barrow (Church Knowle 5b), details as above. This turf-covered barrow has been extensively disturbed probably by excavation. It remains generally as described by RCHME <5> in 1970, although the north and south fringes of the mound have been cut back by the plough and the berm is barely traceable. The flat top is aub-rectangular in shape. The ditches have been utilized as farm tracks and their edges have become rather spread. The ditch at the west end is now so ragged and indistinct that the causeway cannot be readily identified, however the causeway at the east end is clearly evident and well defined. Although the elongated form and broken ditch support the identification as a short-long barrow, for OS purposes the less precise classification of "Tumulus" is to be preferred. <8>

A barrow in a prominent position on a narrow steep-sided ridge. In 1970 this monument was recorded as an earthwork 96 feet long, 64 feet wide and 9 feet high, surrounded by a berm, narrow at the sides but more distinct and up to 8 feet wide at the ends, and a ditch. The mound is disturbed at the top, possibly as a result of antiquarian investigation. The barrow has variously been described as a long barrow, oval barrow and bell barrow. It mound is 20m across and appears to be sub-circular on aerial photographs taken in 1946 (2-3), it has an outer ditch with possible berm and may be a bell barrow. It was ditally plotted during the Wild Purbeck Mapping Project.

<1> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1929 (Map). SWX1540.

(SY 92338208) Tumulus (NR)

<2> Grinsell, L V, 1935-54, Dorset Barrows 1935-54 Manuscript (Unpublished document). SWX1556.

<2.1> Warne, C, 1866, The Celtic Tumuli of Dorset (1866), tovp no 90 (Monograph). SWX8166.

<3> Rigg, J, Field Investigators Comments JR, F1 JR 17-JUL-52 (Unpublished document). SWX1255.

<4> Grinsell, L V, 1959, Dorset Barrows, 78, 163 (Monograph). SDO132.

<5> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 431 (Monograph). SDO150.

‘(34) OVAL BARROW, long barrow (?) (SY 98 SW; 92348208), 570 ft. above O.D., is prominently sited on Stonehill Down, a narrow steep-sided ridge falling gently E. Aligned almost E.-W. (88°), it is 96 ft. long, 64 ft. wide and 9 ft. high from the N. It is very rounded in profile, except for disturbance at the top, and is surrounded by a sloping berm, narrow and indistinct on the sides but well-marked and up to 8 ft. wide at either end. The ditch, at most 1 ft. deep, is 12 ft. wide along the sides and 20 ft. at the ends where it is now interrupted by causeways 11 ft. wide. The E. causeway, on the main E.-W. axis, is clearly original but the western appears to be a later insertion; it dips as it crosses the ditch, which ends irregularly on either side of it.‘

<6> Department of the Environment, 1977, Department of the Environment (IAM) Ancient Monuments of England Vol 2, 62 (Monograph). SWX2300.

<7> Papworth, M D J, Trust for Wessex Archaeology, 1983, Isle of Purbeck Survey, IOP 217 (Index). SDO147.

‘Situated on permanent pasture, a prominent rise with a clear ditch. Barrow top flattened on the S.E. side.Old quarry to N. 1/2/B.’

<8> Fletcher, Martin, Field investigator's comments MJF, MJF 27-APR-1886 (Unpublished document). SDO17630.

<9> Royal Air Force, 04-NOV-1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1821 2414-15 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13481.

<10> National Monuments Record, 18-NOV-2005, NMR SY9282/1-4 (NMR24140/20-3) (Aerial Photograph). SDO13482.

<11> National Record of the Historic Environment, 456903 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Oct 16 2024 10:38AM