Monument record MDO8238 - Mount Poynings, West Lulworth

Several terraces and other earthworks in this field may indicate the site of a country house built by Thomas Poynings, 1st Baron Poynings, who died in 1545. The house is said to have been demolished in 1588 when Lulworth Castle was built. The earthworks are visible on aerial photographs taken in 1946 although they have since been plough-levelled.

Thos. Lord Poynings built a house, calling it after his own name, (he seems to have died in 1546) according to a Mr Coker. Thos. Viscount Bindon pulled it down when he built Lulworth Castle in 1588. <1>

The area within which Mount Poynings stood is now a grass field. Evidence of the existence of the house is still visible by way of five terraces lettered A,B,C,D and E. Each of these is approximately 1.3 metres wide, and while A,B & C average 0.6 metres in height, C and D average 1.2 metres in height. F is a shallow ditch with a low bank on the west side. It averages 2.0 metres wide and 0.5 metres deep, and may once have been a carriage drive to the house, though it is not traceable for more than 120 metres. For a radius of 25 metres about the siting symbol of the house, there are a number of pits about 5.0 metres across and 1.0 metres deep. No surface finds were made during field perambulation, of objects identifiable with the house. <3>

Patches of nettles on this site indicate possible refuse 'Pits' mentioned in authy. 3 are actually wall foundations. Surface finds nil. <4>

Several terraces and other earthworks in this field may indicate the site of a country house built by Thomas Poynings, 1st Baron Poynings, who died in 1545. The house is said to have been demolished in 1588 when Lulworth Castle was built. The earthworks include possible field boundaries that may be of earlier medieval origin. They are visible on aerial photographs taken in 1946 <6> although they have since been plough-levelled. The features were digitally plotted during the Wild Purbeck Mapping Project.

<1> Shipp, W, and Hodson, J W (eds), 1861, The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset. 3rd edition. Volume 1, 441 (Monograph). SWX4496.

‘… which name is now only met with in the maps, was situated on Burngate Farm, near the farm-house. Here, as Mr. Coker says, Thomas Lord Poynings built an house, and called it Mount Poynings, after his own name. Thomas Viscount Bindon pulled it down when he built Lulworth Castle.’

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

(SY 83578176) Mount Poynings (NR) (site of) (NAT)

<3> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 20-SEP-52 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<4> Colquhoun, F D, Field Investigators Comments FDC, F2 FDC 02-JAN-53 (Unpublished document). SWX2609.

<5> 2008, Pottery Analysis. Mount Poynings - fieldwalking 2008 (Unpublished document). SDO15206.

<6> Royal Air Force, 04-NOV-1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1821 2431-2 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13753.

<7> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, Externally held archive: RCH01/093 RCHME Inventory: Dorset II (South-East) (Unpublished document). SDO17434.

‘(34) Mount Poynings (83578176), 1 mile N.E. of Holy Trinity Church, is the site of a house of that name built by Thomas, Lord Poynings, probably between 1541–6 (J. Coker (ed.), Survey of Dorsetshire, 44; Hutchins I, 441); the property was joined to that of Lulworth Castle (Lulworth, E., 3) in the early 17th century, but the date of demolition of the house is uncertain. Earthworks, much disturbed, lying N. and E. of Burngate Farm (Monument 4) on ground sloping S. and E. about 400 ft. above O.D., include platforms for structures and, probably, gardens, but the precise position of the house is not known (R.A.F. V.A.P. CPE/UK 1821: 2430–1).’

<8> National Record of the Historic Environment, 455580 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Oct 31 2024 7:19PM