Monument record MDO6097 - Bowl Barrow one of the Scrubbity Barrows, Sixpenny Handley

A bowl barrow reported as being 28 feet in diameter with a mound less than one foot high. Excavations by Pitt-Rivers revealed that the mound covered a centrally-placed burial consisting of a cremation in a collared urn. Reconstructed after excavation.

A bowl barrow in Scrubbity Coppice, one of a group excavated by Pitt Rivers in 1882-83. Pitt Rivers' barrow xiv (RCHME's Sixpenny Handley 48, Grinsell's Handley 6), it was excavated on January 25th 1883. Located a short distance south of ST 95 NE 17, prior to excavation it comprised a "very small mound of slight elevation" circa 30 feet in diameter, made up entirely of earth and flints. It contained a Collared Urn standing upright, itself containing earth within which was a cremation and a large number of flint flakes and small flint chips. Further flint flakes and cores were found within the mound. [NB this site was formerly described as part of ST 91 NE 17. That record should be consulted for some additional sources and further information}. <4>

<1> Pitt Rivers, A H L F, 1888, Excavations in Barrows near Rushmore. Excavations in the Romano-British village Rotherly. Excavations in Cranborne Chase vol II Rushmore, 3-5, 32-44 (Monograph). SDO16665.

<2> Grinsell, L V, 1959, Dorset Barrows, 113 (Monograph). SDO132.

<3> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1975, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume V (East), 72 (Monograph). SDO129.

‘Scrubbity Barrows (43-50), a group of eight, lie on the S.W. slope of a dry valley in woodland between Woodcutts Common and Handley Common; all were excavated, but most only partially, by Pitt-Rivers (Excavations II (1888), 3-5, 32-44) … (48) Bowl (97251787), (Pitt-Rivers xiv) contained a cremation in a collared urn, centrally placed. Diam. 28 ft., ht. under 1 ft.'

<4> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1310955 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Sep 3 2022 2:43PM