Monument record MDO8620 - Barrow 3, Hengistbury Head

A prominent Bronze Age round barrow to the east of Double Dykes, Hengistbury Head. It was initially excavated in the eighteenth century, then subsequently completely excavated by Bushe-Fox in 1911, who found a 'Wessex Culture' cremation burial of within a collared urn, plus two cones of sheet gold, three amber beads and a halberd pendant of bronze and amber. The barrow is visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs of 1945.

A large barrow near the northern extremity (of Double Dykes) which was opened some years ago when an urn and some human bones were found in it. <1>

It was comprised of gravel and sand, about 100 ft in diameter and 7 ft high. Fully excavated 1911-12. It contained a cremation in an overhanging-rim urn, in which also were two cones of gold, a small bronze blade set transversely in an amber handle which had been pierced for hanging (probably an amulet), amber beads and a few worked flints. <2>

A heather-covered bowl barrow in fair condition. Diam 23.5m Ht 2.0m. No trace of ditch. <4>

No change. Published 1:2500 survey revised. <5>

Barrow No. 3 (Bushe Fox barrow I) The mound originally was 30.5m in diameter, 2.1m high. It was completely excavated by Bushe Fox who located an urn containing a cremation accompanied by grave goods typical of the `Wessex Culture' graves. The urn was of Longworth's Secondary Series, southeastern style, form IA containing an incense cup, a female cremation c. 20 years of age, three amber beads, two gold cones of sheet gold and a halberd pendant. <6>

A round barrow situated to the east of the Double Dykes, Hengistbury Head. It is a prominent mound originally 30.5 m in diameter and 2.1 m high. It had been opened in the eighteenth century and an urn and some human bone recovered. It was subsequently completely excavated by Bushe-Fox in 1911. A rich ‘Wessex Culture’ burial was found about 4-5 m east of the apparent centre of the barrow. This comprised an inverted collared urn buried within the mound itself, containing the cremated bones of a 20 year old woman and a series of unusual objects. These included a probable badger’s tooth, an ‘incense cup’, three amber beads, two cones of sheet gold and a ‘halberd pendant’ of copper alloy and amber. <1> <2> <6>

The Bronze Age round barrow is visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs of 1945 <7-8>. The barrow is formed of a sub-oval mound measuring 21 m by 18 m. An L-shaped trench is visible in the centre of the mound, probably the result of the excavations described above in. The site is not visible on the most recent comprehensive aerial imagery available to the project. <9> This site was digitally plotted during the South West rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey (Dorset).

<1> Anon, 1779, Archaeologia 5, p238 (Article in serial). SWX4109.

<2> Bushe-Fox, J P, 1915, Excavations at Hengistbury Head, Hampshire in 1911-12, pgs 14-15 (Monograph). SWX7422.

<3> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1931 (Map). SWX1540.

(SZ 16609102) (One of a group of three) Tumuli (NR)

<4> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 12-JAN-65 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<5> Aldsworth, F G, Various, Field Investigators Comments FGA, F2 FGA 19-MAR-69 (Unpublished document). SWX1161.

<6> Cunliffe, B, 1987, Hengistbury Head, Dorset. 1: The Prehistoric and Roman Settlement, 3500BC- AD500, Excavations at Crouch Hill, 1921, 1969. in Oxford University Committee for Archaeology monograph series Vol no.13 Page(s) 40-7, 48 (Monograph). SWX4038.

<7> Royal Air Force, 30-OCT-1945, RAF 106G/T16/PART II 7129-30 (Aerial Photograph). SDO12743.

<8> Royal Air Force, 30-OCT-1945, RAF 106G/T16/PART II 7131-32 (Aerial Photograph). SDO12720.

<9> XX-XXX-2009, Google Earth (Aerial Photograph). SDO12705.

<10> National Record of the Historic Environment, 458711 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Dec 23 2024 3:41PM