Monument record MDO5943 - Long barrow, Pentridge

A long barrow situated on the northern slope of a low spur, and aligned on the north east end of the Dorset Cursus. In 1975 this monument was recorded as an earthwork 300 feet long with a mound 60 feet wide and 8 feet high at the south east end, tapering towards the north west, and with side ditches.

On Bokerly Down is a small enclosure 15 yds square, with a low vallum, the enclosed area being raised to the top of the bank. In the south west there is a possible entrance. Situated near a tumulus and a long mound. <1>

('A') A fine long barrow, over 300 ft long. <4>

'A' is a long barrow some 80.0m in length by 14.0m in width and up to 2.4m in height at its southern or 'business' end. It is orientated almost due north to south and both side ditches are visible. Resurveyed at 1:2500. <6>

Long Barrow (SU 04161876), on Bokerley Down lies on the north slope of a low spur and is aligned north north west - south south east on the north east end of the Cursus. Ploughing has largely obliterated the side ditches and has damaged the mound; it is now 300 ft long, and 60 ft across and 8 ft high at the south east end, but narrower and lower at the north west end. <7>

Pentridge 43 ['C'] SU 04181869 Small square enclosure, length of side 15.5 to 18.5m, immediately S of long barrow. Aligned NE-SW; labelled 'enclosure' on some OS maps and drawn as scarped square; Crawford described as 'platform' surrounded by slight ditch (Crawford and Keiller 1928). <8-9>

NB this record now deals solely with the long barrow. The round barrow (SU 01 NW 211) and the square feature (SU 01 NW 212) have now been recorded separately. <11>

Gill, M, 2023, Geophysics Survey of Three Long Barrows and a Long Mortuary Enclosure near the Dorset Cursus (Unpublished document). SDO19805.

Gill, M, 2024, Magnetometry Survey at Five Long barrows near the Dorset Cursus (Unpublished document).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

<1> Warne, C, 1872, Ancient Dorset (2nd Edition), 336 (Monograph). SWX1971.

<2> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1902 (Map). SWX1540.

Tumuli (NR)

<3> Crawford, O G S and Keiller, A, 1928, Wessex from the Air, 230-2 (Monograph). SDO12591.

<4> Grinsell, L V, Dorset Barrows (Unpublished MSs) (Unpublished document). SWX2678.

<5> Grinsell, L V, 1959, Dorset Barrows (Monograph). SDO132.

<6> Aldsworth, F G, Various, Field Investigators Comments FGA, F1 FGA 02-MAY-69 (Unpublished document). SWX1161.

<6.1> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 1094253 (Index). SDO14738.

SU 01 NW 42 (Bokerley Down) (1969) Index card Antiquity Model: Resurveyed

<7> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1975, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume V (East), 56 (Monograph). SDO129.

‘Four certain long barrows and one probable occur in the parish; they all appear to be associated with the Dorset Cursus (GUSSAGE ST. MICHAEL (9)). Barrow (19) is incorporated into the bank of the Cursus; the others are sited near and are aligned upon its N.E. end on Bokerley Down (Plate 56). All but (19), which has been planted with conifers, have been damaged by repeated ploughing around them.
(20) Long barrow (04161876), on Bokerley Down, lies on the N. slope of a low spur and is aligned N.N.W.-S.S.E. on the N.E. end of the Cursus. Ploughing has largely obliterated the side ditches and has damaged the mound; it is now 300 ft. long, and 60 ft. across and 8 ft. high at the S.E. end, but narrower and lower at the N.W. end.’

<8> Bowen, H C, 1990, The Archaeology of Bokerley Dyke (Monograph). SWX800.

<9> Bowen, H C, 1991, The Archaeology of Bokerley Dyke: Inventory (Monograph). SDO14864.

<10> McOmish, D and Tuck, C, 2002, The Dorset Cursus (Unpublished document). SDO16471.

<11> National Record of the Historic Environment, 213535 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Feb 3 2025 10:28AM