Find Spot record MDO7795 - Hoard including Iron Age anchor found at Bulbury Camp, Lytchett Minster

A hoard of iron and bronze objects of Iron Age date were found at Bulbury Camp in 1881. These finds included a fragment of a bronze mirror, a pair of iron rings, part of a bronze chape, two iron sledge hammers and two bronze bull figurines, and have been interpreted as possibly indicating a burial or a metal worker's hoard.

In 1881 a hoard of Iron Age bronze and iron objects were found on the west side of the camp and included a fragment of bronze mirror, a pair of iron rings, part of a bronze chape, two iron sledge hammers and two bronze bull figurines. Finds are now in Dorset County Museum. <1-2>

A notable chance find from the interior, made in the late 19th century, included objects which are unlikely to be much earlier than the date of the Roman conquest.

The finds recorded by Cunnington suggest that the hill-fort was usedin the 1st century AD. They were 'all found together ... from 2 ft to 3 ft underground while draining the camp', about 120 ft WNW of centre (C on plan). The following survive in DMC: part of a collared mirror handle and a fragment of decorated mirror plate 'characteristic of very late British mirror art', two bronze rings from a snaffle bit, a fragment of an iron sword hilt of Piggott's Group IV A, a piece of unclassified bronze chape, a unique tankard handle like Fox's Type III B mirror handles, eight glass annular beads, four bronze mounts for a chariot yoke, two iron sledge-hammers (one unfinished or a 'waster'), a long narrow iron axe, and iron fragments and an iron anchor 4 1/2 ft long together with an iron chain [Arch Camb C (1948), 40; PPS XVI (1950), 27; XVIII (1952), 94; C Fox, Pattern and Purpose (1958), 73]. Also recorded by Cunnington but not preserved were iron nails 6ins to 7 ins long, 'thick as a thumb', 2 or 3 'rounded flat pieces of iron, which may be timber clamps', 'half a good quern of very hard sandstone', 'a piece of fine bronze chain', 'a piece of bronze with iron ribs for strengthening it' '3 small bronze rings', and 'fragments of black wellburnt pottery'. <3>

The individual finds from the 1881 hoard found at Bulbury Camp are discussed in detail by Cunliffe and are considered to date to the early 1st century AD. Cunliffe also noted that the nature of the deposit is uncertain, but there is a possibility that the finds divide into three categories, (a) fittings of a male burial, (b) fittings of a female burial and (c) an ironsmith's stock in trade. <4>

<1> Cunnington, E, 1884, III.—On a Hoard of Bronze, Iron, and other Objects found in Belbury Camp, Dorset,” Archaeologia. Cambridge University Press, 48(1), pp 115–120 (Article in serial). SDO20193.

<2> Drew, C D, Colonel Drew's Index, Dorset County Museum (Index). SDO18316.

<3> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 492-493 (Monograph). SDO150.

'(30) BULBURY (SY 99 SW; 929942) . . . A notable chance find from the interior, made in the late 19th century, included objects which are unlikely to be much earlier than the date of the Roman conquest. . . . The finds recorded by Cunnington suggest that the hill-fort was used in the 1st century A.D. They were 'all found together … from 2 ft. to 3 ft. underground while draining the camp', about 120 ft. W.N.W. of centre (C on plan). The following fragment of decorated mirror plate 'characteristic of very late British mirror art', two bronze rings from a snaffle bit, a fragment of an iron sword hilt of Piggott's Group IV A, a piece of unclassified bronze chape, a unique tankard handle like Fox's Type III B mirror handles, eight glass annular beads, four bronze mounts for a chariot yoke, two iron sledge-hammers (one unfinished or a 'waster'), a long narrow iron axe, and iron fragments and an iron anchor 4½ ft. long together with an iron chain (Arch. Camb. C (1948), 40; P.P.S. XVI (1950), 27; XVIII (1952), 94; C. Fox, Pattern and Purpose (1958), 73). Also recorded by Cunnington but not preserved were iron nails 6 ins. to 7 ins. Long, 'thick as a thumb', 2 or 3 'rounded flat pieces of iron, which may be timber clamps', 'half of a good quern of very hard sandstone', ' a piece of fine bronze chain', 'a piece of bronze with iron ribs for strengthening it', '3 small bronze rings', and 'fragments of black well-burnt pottery'. '

<4> Society of Antiquaries of London, 1972, The Antiquaries Journal 52, 293-308 (Serial). SDO20192.

<5> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, Externally held archive: RCH01/093 RCHME Inventory: Dorset II (South-East) (Unpublished document). SDO17434.

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, BB74/04548 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

FRAGMENTS OF SNAFFLE BIT, SWORD, TANKARD, GLASS RINGS AND CHAPE. NOW IN DORCM

<7> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB74/04549 (Index). SDO14738.

IRON FRAGMENTS FROM HOARD, NOW IN DORCM

<8> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB74/04550 (Index). SDO14738.

IRON ANCHOR AND CHAIN, NOW IN DORCM

<9> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB74/04551 (Index). SDO14738.

EARLY C1 BRONZE CHARIOT FITTINGS IN THE FORM OF BULLS NOW IN DORCM

<10> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB74/04552 (Index). SDO14738.

MIRROR FRAGMENTS, NOW IN DORCM

<11> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB74/04553 (Index). SDO14738.

RON HAMMERS AND AXE, NOW IN DORCM

<12> Royal Air Force, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 2139, P04471 (Aerial Photograph). SDO17483.

C1 BRONZE CHARIOT MOUNTINGS IN THE FORM OF BULLS. NOW IN DORCM1

<13> National Record of the Historic Environment, 457414 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Oct 16 2023 11:26AM