Monument record MDO4336 - Round barrow, Melbury Abbas

A mound visible in a plantation boundary and interpreted as a possible Bronze Age bowl barrow. The monument is damaged and asymmetrical in plan, with a diameter recoreded as approximately 7 metres and a mound height of 0.2 metre. It forms part of a dispersed group of barrows on Breeze Hill. The record for this monument has been enhanced with support from Wessex Water.

ST 89812045. 'C'. A semi-circular mound is visible within the plantation bank. This mound is 7.0m. In diameter and 0.2m. High. There are unsurveyable traces of the SE half in the arable field adjoining the plantation, but no visible evidence of a ditch. The mound is possibly a bowl barrow, though it may be the result of disturbance when the OS trig. Pillar was erected. <1>

<1> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F2 NVQ 24-JAN-56 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<2> Trust for Wessex Archaeology, 1986, Dorset Barrow Survey (Index). SDO134.

Visible as a low rise within mature woodland, beech trees on the edge of the plantation and coniferous trees in the interior. The mound lies on the SE edge of the wood and is crossed by a boundary bank. Beyond the boundary bank further to SE lies a field regularly ploughed and newly ploughed and planted in grass when visited. Traces of the barrow in the field were obscured by a row of large straw bales placed against the edge of the wood. The surviving mound appears to be a barrow damaged by past excavation having a slight hollow on top. There was no trace of a trig. Pillar (OS Map 1:50,000 recods a spot height close to this position). 7/4/C. Papworth MDJ/TWA/15.1.86

<3> National Record of the Historic Environment, 206538 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Sep 16 2022 4:49PM