Monument record MWX1036 - Blackwater Barrows, St Catherine's Hill, Christchurch

The gold torc now exhibited was found in 1852 by the third Earl of Malmesbury in a barrow at Blackwater. It is not clear in which of the many barrows here it was discovered but it must have been one of those which are scattered over the top and side of St. Catherine's Hill. The only account of the finding of the torc is contained in (a): On these heaths there are many barrows, of which I have opened three. In the first the layers of turf were perfectly preserved in slices, one upon another, and on reaching the level the body was clearly delineated in black bone-dust. In the second the ashes were in a vase of unbaked pottery, and in the third there was only a beautiful twisted bracelet of solid gold. That these barrows were at Blackwater is known from a label preserved with the bracelet at Heron Court. <1>

The large size of the barrows (possibly those at SZ 19 NW 19) and the BA evidence from the other two opened at the same time suggest EBA contracted burial. <2>

No information was gained during recording or fieldwork to enable the barrows in which these finds were made to be identified. <3>

<1> Crawford, O G S, 1911-12, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries 24, 39 (Article in serial). SWX3847.

<1.1> Third Earl of Malmesbury, 1885, Memoirs of an ex-Minister, p8,9 (Monograph). SWX3913.

<2> Grinsell, L V, 1940, Hampshire Barrows; Proceedings of the Hampshire Field Club and Archaeological Society 14, p17 (Article in serial). SWX3470.

<3> Woodhouse, W C, Various, Field Investigators Comments WCW, F1 WCW 15-JUL-54 (Unpublished document). SWX3798.

<4> National Record of the Historic Environment, 458485 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

May 10 2023 11:24AM