Monument record MDO1687 - Prehistoric settlement on Bowdens Hill, Melcombe Horsey

A fragment of a Romano British storage jar has been found in a field at ST 741017. Part of a Romano/British earthenware, tile and a sherd of coarse ware were turned up by the plough at ST 73960148, and a piece of tegula has been discovered at ST 73990111. <4-5>

Large flints thought to belong to a building, and fragments of Roman tiles, are continually being turned up in the field centred ST 74100175. <6>

(Centred ST 74200190) Bowden's Hill (Romano/British) settlement site, remains as described by RCHM <2>. The well-defined earthworks are retained under permanent pasture. No surface finds were made. Poor definition on OS air photographs <7.1-7.2>.

Surveyed at 1:2500 on MSD in conjunction with RCHM plan. <7>

<1> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1962 (Map). SWX1540.

(Centred ST 744016) Settlement

<2> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 2, 172-173 (Monograph). SDO136.

‘(11) SETTLEMENT (742019), Romano-British, on Bowden's Hill, lies within an area of dykes and 'Celtic' fields (see Group (44), p. 330). The settlement lies, at just over 700 ft. above sea-level, on a gentle S.W. slope on the spine of a spur which falls S.S.E. from Nettlecombe Tout (12). The spur top is capped with flint gravel or Clay-with-flints; to the W. the ground falls steeply to Lyscombe Bottom. The site, now visible over 4 acres, has been disturbed and part of it on the E. has been destroyed by cultivation.
Towards the centre of the site are the remains of an approximately rectangular enclosure (100 ft. by 150 ft.) defined, where best preserved, by two low banks with a ditch between them. A trackway, about 12 ft. across and flanked by a ditch with a low outer bank on the W., and by a slight ditch with a lynchet above it on the E., approaches the site from the N.W.; it is blocked by the outer bank of the enclosure and there is no evidence that it continued beyond this point. Some 30 yds. N. of the enclosure the remains of a smaller incomplete enclosure are defined by a bank with an external ditch. Immediately S. of the main enclosure a number of small platforms, probably for buildings, are defined by low banks and scarps up to 4½ ft. high. A low mound (17 ft. by 4 ft.) lies immediately S. of the track near the main enclosure. A track of double-lynchet form approaches the settlement from the S.W., through 'Celtic' fields; it enters a triangular space of about ⅓ acre defined by slight banks and then turns E. to run through the settlement which, S. of the track, seems to be on former fields. From this settlement Warne obtained Romano-British pottery, tiles and nails (Ancient Dorset (1872), 83, 85–6).’

<2.1> Royal Air Force, 11-APR-47, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 4363-4 (Aerial Photograph). SDO17544.

<4> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1952, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1951, 114 (Serial). SDO51.

<5> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1956, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1954, 76 (Serial). SDO54.

<6> Rigg, J, Field Investigators Comments JR, F1 JR 26-AUG-55 (Unpublished document). SWX1255.

<7> Stone, J W, Field Investigators Comments JWS, F2 JWS 04-DEC-78 (Unpublished document). SDO11902.

<7.1> Ordnance Survey, OS 74/058/119 (Aerial Photograph). SDO17571.

<7.2> Ordnance Survey, OS 74/058/188 (Aerial Photograph). SDO17555.

<8> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1963, Monuments Threatened or Destroyed. A Select List: 1956-1962, 14 (Monograph). SDO12558.

‘MELCOMBE HORSEY. BOWDEN’S HILL [ST 741021] Iron Age or Romano-British settlement, 4 acres or more in area, cross-dykes and small mounds. Mounds excavated by R.C.H.M. and found to be sterile. One cross-dyke excavated by J. Wacher for Ministry of Works.’

<9> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 881862 (Index). SDO14738.

RCHME. Settlement on Bowden's Hill, Dorset: Includes profiles of Dykes 2 & 3. See related survey of Lyscombe Bottom (GAM 881857)Bibliographic References : 1) Linked with the above CF Gp (44)2) Pt 2, Monument (11), within Celtic Field Gp (44).

<10> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 881869 (Index). SDO14738.

RCHME. Settlement on Bowden's Hill, Dorset: Appears to be an incomplete tracing from the parent.Bibliographic References : 1) Pt 2, Monument (11).

<11> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 882099 (Index). SDO14738.

RCHME. Bowden's Hill Settlement Remains, Dorset: Bibliographic References : 1) Pt 2, Monument (11).

<12> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB86/05269 (Index). SDO14738.

PLAN OF RB SETTLEMENT WHICH LIES WITHIN AN AREA OF DYKES AND CELTIC FIELDS

<13> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB86/05270 (Index). SDO14738.

DRAWING/PLAN OF RB SETTLEMENT SURROUNDED BY FIELDS AND DYKES

<14> National Record of the Historic Environment, 202131 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Oct 11 2024 3:21PM