Monument record MDO4077 - Disc barrow, Iwerne Minster

A Bronze Age disc barrow on Iwerne Down, discovered and excavated by Shipp in 1846. Seven cremations were found in the mound, the central one in an urn. At the time of excavation the monument was approximately 27 feet in diameter, and stood 3 feet high; by 1986 it was no longer visible. The record for this monument has been enhanced with support from Wessex Water

Area ST 886147 A disc barrow, which Grinsell identifies wrongly with Folly Barrow (ST 81 NE 25), stood immediately opposite the 6th milestone on the higher road between Blandford and Shaftesbury. <4> It was examined in 1846 by Shipp prior to its destruction, and measured 3 feet high by 27 feet in circumference. It had a slight surrounding bank. An inverted urn beneath the mound was covered by an immense quantity of black ashes, and surrounded by six cists cut in the chalk, each containing burnt bones and ashes. <2, 3, 4, 6>

A small barrow; exact location unknown. <7>

A mound at ST 88621472, close to the milestone mentioned by Shipp <1>, may be the disc barrow. It is 18.0m in diameter and 0.2m in average height. There is no trace of an outer bank. <5>

ST 88621475. This feature is now reduced to a vague unsurveyable mound approximating to the dimensions given in the field report of 2.3.56; situated in arable. No trace on either RAF <8.1, 8.2> or OS <8.3> air photographs.

Mound sited on 25" AM for AO Records only. <8>


A disc barrow at West Lodge, Iwerne Down, immediately opposite the 6th milestone on the higher road between Blandford and Shaftesbury. The barrow was excavated by Shipp in 1846. It measured 3 feet high by 27 feet circumference. It had a slight surrounding bank. An inverted urn beneath the mound was covered by an immense quantity of ashes and surrounded by six cists cut in the chalk, each contained burnt bones and ashes. <10, 2, 3>

"At the 6th milestone on the higher Blandford - Shaftesbury road is a grass covered mound which may be the barrow. J Rigg, 2/3/1956 <5>

"This feature is now reduced to a vague unsurveyable mound approximating to the dimensions given in the field report of 2.3.56; situated in arable. No trace on either RAF (AP/RAF/1954/F22-58-1332, 63, 64) or OS (AP/OS/75-371-90, 91) air phpotographs." Desc text/OS 495/C C/1978 <8>

"Site lies immediately E of a road beyond a hedge boundary. In a field occasionally ploughed and in established grass when visited. No visible trace. 7/7/E." Papworth MDJ/TWA/15.1.86

<1> Historic England, Historic England Archive, Shipp Mss (Index). SDO14738.

<2> Warne, C, 1866, The Celtic Tumuli of Dorset (1866), 6 (Monograph). SWX8166.

<3> Hutchins, J, 1868, The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset. Volume 3. 3rd edition, 555 (Monograph). SDO11486.

<4> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1929, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1928, 121-122 (Serial). SDO32.

<5> Rigg, J, Field Investigators Comments JR, F1 JR 02-MAR-56 (Unpublished document). SWX1255.

<6> Grinsell, L V, 1959, Dorset Barrows, 168 115 168 (Monograph). SDO132.

<7> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1972, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume IV (North), 41 (Monograph). SDO99.

<8> Chaplin, C P, Field Investigators Comments CPC, F2 CC 09-FEB-78 (Unpublished document). SDO17976.

<8.1> Royal Air Force, 07-JAN-1954, F22/58/1332 63 (Aerial Photograph). SDO18529.

<8.2> Royal Air Force, 07-JAN-1954, F22/58/1332 64 (Aerial Photograph). SDO18530.

<8.3> Ordnance Survey, OS/75/371 090-91 (Aerial Photograph). SDO18389.

<9> Grinsell, L V, 1982, Dorset Barrows Supplement, 62 (Monograph). SWX1703.

<11> National Record of the Historic Environment, 206083 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jul 22 2024 12:32PM