Monument record MDO1905 - Inhumation cemetery, Piddlehinton

An inhumation cemetery discovered during building work in 1961. Most of the burials were removed by mechanical digger, before limited recording and excavation of two burials by archaeologists. The two excavated burials had been disturbed and contained only the lower portions of skeletons. These were extended and lying on their backs with heads to the west. No dating evidence was found, but the burials were thought probably to be of Roman date. The circumstances of the discovery were such that the number of burials and extent of the cemetery was not clear, although traces of at least eleven burials were noted.

SY 72549678. An inhumation cemetery was discovered during building operations in 1961 on the highest part of the army camp southeast of Bourne Grove, Piddlehinton. The site was examined by R. Peers for Dorset County Museum who observed a number of rounded depressions or shallow scoops in the excavation areas; some of these showing human bones, probably all representing graves. Substantial remains of at least two extended inhumations, orientated east-west, were also seen but no pottery or other finds were revealed. Farrar was told by Clifford C Board, of Weymouth, that he saw eight or nine of these burials during excavation, one of them an adult close to a child, and that all were extended on a similar alignment with heads to the west. He believed that a number of others had already been destroyed in laying the concrete base of the installation. There is no direct evidence for the age of the cemetery but it is unlikely that it belongs to the Medieval settlement north west of Muston Farm. Regular cemeteries of extended inhumations with few or no grave-goods seem, however, to be of Roman or perhaps Dark Age', date in the region rather than of Early Iron Age. <1>

<1> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1966, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1965, 110 (Serial). SDO65.

‘An inhumation cemetery at the army camp, Piddlehinton

In December 1961 an inhumation cemetery, discovered in building operations at the highest part (SY 72549678) of the army camp S.E. of Bourne Drove, Piddlehinton, above the 300 ft. contour was examined by Mr. R. N. R. Peers for the County Museum.

An oblong excavation, for a secret installation the foundation of which was aligned 14° east of north, revealed a number of rounded depressions along its southern and eastern faces, some of them showing human bones, and all probably graves. Four such depressions appeared in the eastern 13ft. of the south face, and seven in the southern 33ft. of the east face. They consisted of shallow scoops, of varying depth up to 20ins. below the turf, penetrating about 2ins. into the natural chalk. One in each side was quickly dug out by Mr. Peers, the others having been already cleared by contractors using a mechanical excavator.

In the south face only the westernmost depression, 10ft. from the corner and 3ft. wide as cut on the slant, had any substantial remains, although there were fragments of bone visible in one of the others. Here the skeleton, extended on the back with arms at sides, was aligned 296° west of north, but all the upper part from the pelvis had been destroyed by the mechanical digger. In the east face, the southernmost grave alone showed bones in section; 4½ft. of the grave remained, 18ins. wide, and again only the lower part from the pelvis had escaped destruction. Posture was the same, alignment given as 65° east of north. Both burials, however, evidently had the head to west. No pottery or other finds were reported, but bones had been noticed by workmen at the north end of the east face. Mr. Peers states that another burial was found later.

The writer was told by Mr. Clifford C. Board of Weymouth, that he saw eight or nine of these burials during excavation, one of them an adult close to a child, and that all were extended on a similar alignment with heads to the west. He believed a number of others had already been destroyed in laying the concrete base of the installation which lay about 3½ft. clear of the sides of the excavation.

There is, of course, no direct evidence for the age of the cemetery; analogies in the region are often similarly undated. It is unlikely that it belongs to the mediaeval settlement N.W. of Muston Farm in the valley below, but prehistoric and Roman remains are not known nearer the area of Dole’s Hill and Druce Higher Barn about a mile to the east [Footnote: Dorset Proceedings, Vol. 74 (1952), pp. 87-8]. Regular cemeteries of extended inhumations with few or no grave goods seem, however, to be of Roman (or perhaps ‘Dark Age’) date in the region, rather than of the Early Iron Age.’

<2> National Record of the Historic Environment, 454822 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Sep 25 2023 5:11PM