Monument record MDO8566 - Round barrow, Bournemouth

The site of this discovery is a barren mound of coarse sand and gravel. Workmen angaged in 1873 in trenching discovered an urn of ancient British type, containing cinerary remains; being in an advanced state of decay; it unfortunately fell to pieces immediately the earth was cleared away. The work was continued for a few days when 96 similar urns were exhumed, all except one in the same friable condition. On top of the mound, encircled by a two foot vallum of black soil is a tumulus. Close to the trench five small urns were found, about 2 ft apart, and the same number on the east side, but not so deep in the soil. The remaining 86 were deposited nearby in parallel lines on the slope of the mound, south of the barrow in a small space of about 20 ft square. The urns measured from 6"-16" in diam 12"-18" deep, and from 1/4"-1" thick. Many of them were black in colour, others brown inclining to dark red and none contained any coin or metallic substance. <1>

While digging post-holes in 1923, 2 workmen found 5 urns containing fragments of burnt bones. No objects of metal or stone were found, but flint flakes were picked up nearby. <2>

No visible remains. Site of tumulus built over by modern houses and a garden covers site of urnfield. <4>

<1> Hampshire Field Club and Archaeological Society, 1885, Proceedings of the Hampshire Field Club and Archaeological Society, 47-8 (Serial). SDO17164.

<2> Bournemouth Natural Science Society, 1923, Proceedings of the Bournemouth Natural Science Society 15, 71 (Serial). SDO17165.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1:2500 scale, 1939 (Map). SWX1197.

(SZ 09229548) Tumulus (NR) (Site of) Urns found AD 1873

<4> Colquhoun, F D, Field Investigators Comments FDC, F1 FDC 20-NOV-51 (Unpublished document). SWX2609.

<5> National Record of the Historic Environment, 457776 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

May 5 2023 3:20PM