Monument record MDO4371 - Stable Barrow, Milborne St Andrew

A bowl barrow situated near the top of a ridge and on the parish boundary between Milborne St Andrew and Milton Abbas. In 1970 this monument was reported as being an elongated mound 60 feet by 30 feet, and 6 feet high. It is thought likely to be 'Bagber Barrow' investigated by antiquarian J C Mansell-Pleydell in the late nineteenth century. He found 23 urns containing cremations. The site is visible as a low earthwork mound on lidar imagery and was digitally recorded during the Dorset Upper Cerne and Piddle AIM Project.

(SY 7999). 'Bagber Barrow', excavated by J C Mansel-Pleydell, stood on the boundary hedge betwen Milborne St Andrew and Milton Abbas, and can probably be identified with Stable Barrow. It was 60 feet long by 8 feet high, and had been reduced by ploughing to an elongated shape. Within were twenty-three urns, all with cremations, two inverted and the remainder upright and covered with slabs of sarsen or fint. The few urns to survive are of globular and 'bucket' type, and there is one small handled cup .

There are two additional references cited: Antiquaries Journal xiii(13) 1933, 445; and to Arch. J cxix (1962) 57, 65. <1> <4>

Stable Barrow is a mutilated ditchless bowl barrow, 18.0 metres diameter along the axis of the hedgerow within which it is situated, extending for 5 metres on either side. <2>

It is most prominent on the south side of the boundary hedge, where it is 1.5 metres high. On the north side of the hedge the barrow is 0.3 metres high, and has obviously been ploughed away, although now under grass.

Stable Barrow, bowl barrow (79479934), lies within a hedgerow forming the parish boundary with Milton Abbas. It is on a gentle S slope just over 400 ft above OD, near the summit of a broad ridge. The mound has been ploughed away on either side and is now elongated in form. Diam (E-W) 60ft (N-S) 30ft ht 6ft.
Stable Barrow is probably 'Bagber Barrow', opened by J C Mansel-Pleydell. <5>

No change; re-surveyed at 1:2500 on M.S.D. <6>

The site is visible as a low earthwork mound on lidar imagery and was digitally recorded during the Dorset Upper Cerne and Piddle AIM Project. <9>

<1> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1896, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club, 131 (Serial). SDO10.

<2> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 16-NOV-54 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<3> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1963 (Map). SWX1540.

(SY 79479933) Stable Barrow (NR)

<4> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 2, 181-182 (Monograph). SDO136.

‘'Bagber Barrow', probably Stable Barrow (29), was excavated by J. C. Mansell-Pleydell; it contained twenty-three urns, all with cremations, two inverted and the remainder upright and covered with slabs of sarsen or flint; the few urns to survive are of globular and 'bucket' type, and there is one small handled cup (Dorset Procs. XVII (1896), 131f.; Ant.J. XIII (1933), 445; Arch.J. CXIX (1962), 57, 65). … (29) Stable Barrow, bowl (79479934), 500 yds. E. of (28), lies within a hedgerow forming the parish boundary with Milton Abbas. It is on a gentle S. slope just over 400 ft. above O.D., near the summit of a broad ridge. The mound has been ploughed away on either side and is now elongated in form. Diam. (E.–W.) 60 ft., (N.–S.) 30 ft., ht. 6 ft.’

<5> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 2, 182 (Monograph). SDO136.

'(29) Stable Barrow, bowl (79479934), 500 yds. E. of (28), lies within a hedgerow forming the parish boundary with Milton Abbas. It is on a gentle S. slope just over 400 ft. above O.D., near the summit of a broad ridge. The mound has been ploughed away on either side and is now elongated in form. Diam. (E.–W.) 60 ft., (N.–S.) 30 ft., ht. 6 ft.'

<6> Barton, J G, Various, Field Investigators Comments JGB, F2 JGB 07-OCT-80 (Unpublished document). SDO11900.

<7> National Record of the Historic Environment, 454525 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

<8> National Record of the Historic Environment, 454642 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

<9> Environment Agency, 15-DEC-2023, LIDAR Environment Agency DTM (Aerial Photograph). SDO20691.

Record last edited

Oct 11 2024 3:37PM