Monument record MDO8445 - Oval Barrow, Hadden Hill, Bournemouth

Cremation and urn burials were found close under the surface on the extreme eastern edge and close outside it. The pottery was almost entirely disintegrated. The number of burials was 16, of which 6 were by cremation in urns, the remainder being by simple cremation.

It is reasonable to suppose that all these 16 burials were of the same period and contemporary with the Pokesdown urnfield (SZ 19 SW 10) and therefore can be ascribed to the L.B.A. The lowness of the barrow, the absence of a ditch, the great scarcity of burnt bone, and the absence of associated objects, all support this assumption. <1>

There are no visible remains of this tumulus, the site being thickly covered with bracken and young fern. <3>

No trace, presumably destroyed when the area was extensively developed a few years ago. <4>

An oval barrow covering a large charcoal layer set on the old ground surface, and with a mound of sand. 16 cremations and urn burials were largely concentrated in the south east quadrant (12), with 2 just beyond the south east barrow edge, and one in each of the north west and south west quadrants. Five of the urns could be identified as barrel urns, but the pottery generally was badly disintegrated. The state of the pits suggested that the urns may have been placed inside and hot ashes poured into them, or the urns deposited filled with hot ash, since the underlying sand was very charred and caked solid. There were six urned burials (1 clearly inverted, 1 upright, the others undiscernible) and 10 simple cremations. Soil acidity had destroyed bone except one human fragment, but ashes had commonly survived. Burial 16 appears to have been the primary one (in the north west sector) and was under a few large stones.

<1> Society of Antiquaries of London, 1928, The Antiquaries Journal 8, 87-9 (Serial). SDO19822.

<2> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1931-8 (Map). SWX1540.

(SZ 1136 9395) Oval Barrow (NR) site of

<3> Colquhoun, F D, Field Investigators Comments FDC, F1 FDC 20-NOV-51 (Unpublished document). SWX2609.

<4> Wardale, C F, Various, Field Investigators Comments CFW, F2 CFW 14-MAY-69 (Unpublished document). SWX2704.

<5> National Record of the Historic Environment, 458831 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

May 9 2023 12:17PM