Monument record MDO47748 - Pit circle, Wimborne St Giles

A circle or oval of widely-spaced pits surrounding a larger central pit-like feature originally identified as cropmarks on air photographs. Excavation by Martin Green in 1997 confirmed the presence of the pit-circle, wider opposed gaps on the east and west side perhaps representing "entrances". The pits themselves do not appear to have held posts. However, a series of post holes, perhaps representing some form of fence or screen, were found outside one of the entrances. The central feature comprised a large circular pit 12 metres in diameter with vertical sides and a floor whose polished appearance suggested it had been "worn smooth by trampling feet". Into one side of this central pit or hollow had been dug a circular shaft some 7 metres deep. Finds included cattle bones, and a carved and decorated block of chalk. A low curved bank of chalk ran part of the way around the lip of the shaft. Toolmarks on the sides of the shaft suggested the use of antler picks and polished stone or flint axes. Fragments of antler picks were among the finds. Dug into the side of the circular pit was small oval pit which contained 4 inhumations of Neolithic date, an adult female and 3 young children, placed in pairs at either end of the pit. In the Early Bronze Age, an adult male inhumation was inserted into the backfill of the central pit and covered by a small cairn of flint nodules. No grave goods were present, but some potsherds and flint arrowheads were found "nearby". Other cropmark features in the vicinity include some ring ditches (previously described here - see associated monuments) further suggesting that this feature acted as a focus for funerary activity during the earlier Bronze Age.

A rapid examination of air photography (1a) indicates the presence of a pit circle enclosing a large pit as well as possibly three ring ditches, visible as cropmarks in a field South of The Warren: A - SU 01721474 (Pit circle, 30-40m diam, around c.10m pit, square or pentagonal). <1>

<1> Miller, Andrew, 1993, RCHME: AP Primary Recording Project, 09-FEB-1993 (Unpublished document). SWX1708.

<1.1> National Monuments Record, NMR 4509: 54, 56-62, 64-6 (Aerial Photograph). SDO18985.

<2> National Record of the Historic Environment, 882592 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

<2.1> NMR 15617/31-36 (Aerial Photograph). SDO20458.

<2.2> NMR 15651/01 (Aerial Photograph). SDO20459.

<2.3> NMR 15810/27-31, 34-36 (Aerial Photograph). SDO20460.

<2.4> NMR 15831/10-12 (Aerial Photograph). SDO20461.

<2.5> NMR 15829/18-22 (Aerial Photograph). SDO20462.

Record last edited

Jan 15 2024 4:24PM