Monument record MDO5612 - Neolithic Long barrow on Thickthorn Down, Gussage St Michael

A Neolithic long barrow on Thickthorn Down, located on the crest of the ridge between the Gussage and Crichel valleys. Aligned roughly southeast-northwest, it lies immediately southeast of the Dorset Cursus and is clearly associated with it. In 1975 the monument was described as having a well-preserved mound 145 feet long, 60 feet wide and 8 feet high, within a distinct U-shaped ditch 25 feet wide which surrounds three sides of the mound, being open to the southeast. The barrow shares the same alignment, but is not directly aligned upon, the terminal of the cursus. A Neolithic flint axe has however been found on the surface of a disturbed area on the barrow's western flank see MDO5656.

(ST 97031238) Long Barrow (NR). <2>

A long barrow situated on Thickthorn Down on the crest of the ridge between the Gussage and Crichel valleys. Aligned SE to NW, it lies a few yards SE of the Cursus (SU 01 NW 91) and is clearly associated with it. The well-preserved mound is 145ft long, 60ft across and 8ft high. It stands within a ditch 25ft across and up to 3ft deep, which is U-shaped in plan and open to the SE. <4>

A roughly finished later Neolithic flint axe or adze was found on the surface of a disturbed area on the west flank of the barrow. It may have come from a secondary deposit in the barrow. <5>

Barrett et al (1991) <6> point out that the cursus here "is unusual in lacking the squared-off end normal on this type of monument. Instead, the end bank of the Cursus runs at an oblique angle to the sides, and since this is not demanded by the topography it may be a deliberate design feature, intended to link the southern end of the Cursus to the axis of an existing monument". They also argue that the disproportionately large terminal bank may have been deliberate intended to imitate the general appearance of this long barrow and another a short distance to the south (ST 91 SE 23), although the curious misalignment of all three features remains unexplained. There is no record of any excavation. A Neolithic flint axe has however been found on the surface of a disturbed area on the barrow's western flank [Note; ie MDO5656].

Gill, M, 2024, Magnetometry Survey at Five Long barrows near the Dorset Cursus (Unpublished document). SDO21224.

<1> Grinsell, L V, 1959, Dorset Barrows, 79 (Monograph). SDO132.

<2> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1963 (Map). SWX1540.

<3> Historic England, Historic England Archive, RCH01/091 (Index). SDO14738.

Object Title: RCHME Inventory: Dorset V (East). Scope & Content: Annotated publication proofs for Dorset V, East Dorset, published in 1974. Also includes original surveys, drawings and field notes, and unpublished material. Original survey material has been catalogued.

<4> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1975, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume V (East), 25, No 11 (Monograph). SDO129.

‘The S.W. end of the Cursus survives in a narrow unploughed field on Thickthorn Down. The bank here is over 4 ft. high, where best preserved, and some 30 ft. across; the ditch is of similar width and up to 3½ ft. deep. From centre to centre of the ditches the Cursus is about 350 ft. across. Two small-sized long barrows lie S.E. of the end, one (11) adjacent to it, the other (12) some 230 yds. S.E.; each has a U-shaped ditch opening away from the Cursus. A multiple boundary dyke (Long Crichel (7)), comprising four banks with intervening ditches, approaches the N.W. angle of the Cursus, but evidence of a possible junction between the two monuments has been destroyed by the modern road. The two north-westerly banks of the dyke, which clearly is later than the Cursus, appear to continue for a short distance along its N. side, possibly incorporating part of it in a boundary system.

Of the five certain long barrows in the parish, four ((11), (12), (14), (15)) lie close to the Cursus (9) and are clearly associated with it. Together with the round barrows they compose two barrow groups, respectively on Thickthorn Down and Gussage Hill. Barrow (10), also classified as a long barrow (Dorset Barrows, 79, Gussage St. Michael, No. VI), is now almost round, but this could be due to ploughing, and the gap between the incurving ditches at the S. E. end is very similar to that of the long barrow on Thickthorn Down (12).

Thickthorn Down Group, comprising two round barrows (16) and (17) and two long barrows (11) and (12) is sited on the crest of the ridge; S.E. of the S.W. end of the Cursus (9).

(11) Long Barrow (97031238), on Thickthorn Down, 325 ft. above O.E., on the crest of the ridge between the Gussage and Crichel valleys, lies a few yards S.E. of the end of the Cursus and is aligned S.E.-N.W. upon it. The well-preserved mound is 145 ft. long, 60 ft. across and 8ft. high; it stands within a ditch 25 ft. across and up to 3 ft. deep, U-shaped in plan and open to the S.E.'

<5> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1983, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1983, 139 (Serial). SDO83.

<6> Barrett, J, Bradley, R and Green, M, 1991, Landscape, Monuments and Society: the prehistory of Cranborne Chase (Monograph). SDO16633.

<7> Kinnes, I, 1992, Non-Megalithic Long Barrows and Allied Structures in the British Neolithic, No 52, [Cranborne Chase: ST 9] (Monograph). SDO10065.

<8> McOmish, D and Tuck, C, 2002, The Dorset Cursus (Unpublished document). SDO16471.

<9> National Record of the Historic Environment, 210031 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jan 9 2025 12:08PM