Monument record MDO7310 - Round barrow, Stonehill Down, Church Knowle

Two possible bowl barrows on Stonehill Down: 'A'. SY 93038230. 117 yards ENE of barrow (SY 98 SW 3). Diameter 15feet; height 1 foot. Stonehill Down NGR SY93058230. Diameter (in paces) 8. Height in feet 1½. LVG probable barrow. <2>

SY 93168231. Church Knowle 6b. Bowl barrow listed (with reference to RCHME Authy 2). <3>

These two rather amorphous turf-covered stony mounds lie along the top of a long narrow ridge. As suggested by the RCHM <2>, they may be round barrows but there is sufficient doubt to classify them as 'Mounds' only. The undulating surface of the ridge top has been disturbed and the boundary feature, depicted on the OS 1:2500 1953, although removed is
still traceable as a baulk where it skirts both mounds. 'A' SY 93038230. Approximately 7.0m by 6.5m and up to 0.5m high. There is a pronounced rise at SY 93108230 between the mounds which is almost certainly a natural swelling. Mounds surveyed at 1:2500. <5>

<1> Grinsell, L V, 1959, Dorset Barrows, 101 (Monograph). SDO132.

<2> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 442 (Monograph). SDO150.

'The fifteen barrows in the parish are divided between the chalk ridge of Stonehill Down and Knowle Hill to the S. and the heathlands at its foot to the N. A group of four lies on Creech Heath. Four have been excavated: .. (38) Bowl (?) (SY 98 SW; 93038230) on similar site to (37) 117 yds. E.N.E. of it. Diam. 15 ft., ht. 1 ft.'

<3> Grinsell, L V, 1982, Dorset Barrows Supplement, 37 (Monograph). SWX1703.

<4> Papworth, M D J, Trust for Wessex Archaeology, 1983, Isle of Purbeck Survey, IOP 221 (Index). SDO147.

'Situated on the southern edge of a field of regularly improved pasture. A faint rise reduced by ploughing. A chalk quarry in use immediately S. of barrow. 7/7/D.'

<5> Fletcher, Martin, Field investigator's comments MJF, F1 MJF 30-APR-86 (Unpublished document). SDO17630.

<6> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, Externally held archive: RCH01/093 RCHME Inventory: Dorset II (South-East) (Unpublished document). SDO17434.

<7> National Record of the Historic Environment, 457050 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jan 20 2025 2:08PM