Monument record MDO3967 - Bowl barrow south of Coombe Bottom, Hilton

A bowl barrow reported in in 1970 as being 68 feet in diameter with a mound eight feet high. A large hollow in the centre is thought to have been caused when the barrow was excavated by Major Ashburnham in 1916, who found that the barrow had two main periods of construction.

A round barrow at Melcombe Bingham was opened in September 1916 by Major C Ashburnham. A trench was dug across the mound which consisted of an inner cairn of flints overlain with chalk and surrounded by a ditch. This inner ditch had been filled with brown earth, and the whole overlain with chalk. An outer ditch had been dug round the perimeter.

In a pit beneath the cairn was found a crouched burial. In the centre of the cairn were found remains of at least 5 other inhumations and cremations. A further inhumation was found in the bottom of the inner ditch, and at the top of the inner ditch was an inverted urn containing a cremation and a small bronze awl. The urn measured 9 1/2ins. high and 2ft.5ins. at its larges circumference.

"It is suggested that the barrow covers two distinct periods of time ... the older period including those burials found inside the stone tumulus, within the inner ditch. The burials outside the inner ditch were possibly much more recent". <1>

Covered with firs, Barrow with two concentric ditches and a level space between them (berm?), Excavated by Major C Ashburnham 1916-7, primary crouched interment, secondary cremation and bronze awl in inverted Early/Middle Bronze Age urn, this may have been a composite bowl-barrow not a bell barrow. <2>

A bowl barrow, diameter 26 paces, height 9ft., hollow in centre. There are many flints exposed on lower slope. Covered with firs. Perhaps this was the barrow at Bingham's Melcombe [ST 70 SE 17] excavated by Major C.Ashburnham. <5>

A round barrow with no visible ditch. It has a diameter of 25m. And an average height of 2.6m. There is a crescentic platform on the west side. This is probably spoil from a central excavation. The barrow is grass covered. <6>

<1> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1918, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club for 1916-17, 74-80 (Serial). SDO26.

<2> Grinsell, L V, 1959, Dorset Barrows (Monograph). SDO132.

<3> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 1, 113 (Monograph). SDO146.

‘(30) BOWL BARROW (77730136), at the S. end of the parish, 350 yds. S.E. of Newton Farm, lies on a N.W. slope just off the top of a spur. The barrow was excavated in 1916 by Maj. C. Ashburnham and proved to be of two main periods. A primary crouched interment in a cist cut into the natural chalk lay under a flint cairn about 38 ft. in diameter and surrounded by a ditch. The cairn was later enlarged to its present diameter and a second ditch was cut. Numerous inhumations and one cremation, probably all secondary, were found in the mound, and two cremations, one with a small bronze awl, were found in ridged Food-vessel urns in the inner ditch (Dorset Procs. XXXVIII (1917), 74–80; Arch. J. CXIX (1962), 65, s.v. Bingham's Melcombe). A large hollow in the centre and an apparent berm on the W. are presumably the result of Maj. Ashburnham's excavation. Diam. 68 ft., ht. 8 ft.’

<4> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1902 (Map). SWX1540.

[ST 77730136] TUMULUS

<5> Grinsell, L V, 1935-54, Dorset Barrows 1935-54 Manuscript (Unpublished document). SWX1556.

<6> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, 1955-08-30 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<7> English Heritage, English Heritage Schedule Entry, 07/08/1996 (Scheduling record). SDO17387.

<8> Historic England, Historic England Archive, P04413 (Index). SDO14738.

SECTION ACROSS BOWL BARROW EXCAVATED BY MAJOR C.ASHBURNHAM NEGATIVE MISSING.

<9> National Record of the Historic Environment, 201851 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

<9> National Record of the Historic Environment, 201855 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Nov 10 2023 10:30AM