Monument record MDO7956 - Agglestone, Studland

The Agglestone has been described in the past as a stone occupying the top of a barrow, but is now accepted as a rocky outcrop protruding from a natural knoll. The early references <1-3> associate the feature with some sepulchural or ritualistic function or a more romantic tradition. <4> <6-7>

Historic England, National Record of the Historic Environment, 457671 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

<1> John Hutchins, edited by Shipp, W, and Hodson, J W, 1861, The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset. 3rd edition. Volume 1, 645 (Monograph). SDO12569.

<2> Warne, C, 1872, Ancient Dorset (2nd Edition), 137-9 (Monograph). SWX1971.

<3> Gentleman's Magazine, 1886, 267-9 (Serial). SWX8280.

<4> Grinsell, L V, 1959, Dorset Barrows, 132 (Monograph). SDO132.

<5> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1963 (Map). SWX1540.

(SZ 02368283) Agglestone (NAT)

<6> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 452 (Monograph). SDO150.

'A natural knoll, protected by the Agglestone and sometimes thought to be a barrow (Arkell, 224), is excluded.'

<7> 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, 46 (Monograph). SWX972.

<8> Papworth, M D J, Trust for Wessex Archaeology, 1983, Isle of Purbeck Survey, 1985 (Index). SDO147.

'AGGLESTONE: A rocky outcrop protruding from a knoll. Wrongly called a stone on top of a barrow in the past. Natural feature on heather and gorse covered heathland. 7/7/B.'

Record last edited

May 8 2026 5:02PM