| Summary : A bowl barrow, one of a group of six located to the northeast of the South Lodge enclosure (ST 91 NE 9), within its associated field system (ST 91 NE 33). Designated "Barrow Pleck 2" by Pitt Rivers. It was excavated by him in 1880, when it comprised a small mound circa 20 feet in diameter and 1.5 feet high. A cremation was found in an off-centre pit circa 2 feet in diameter. The only other finds were some flint flakes. The mound was subsequently rebuilt by Pitt Rivers around a concrete plinth marking the location of the cremation. The barrow was re-excavated sometime between 1977 and 1984 during Barrett, Bradley and Green's work on Cranborne Chase. The excavation resulted in the discovery of a previously unnoticed ditch surrounding the mound. The ditch was circa 7 metres in diameter and averaged 1 metre wide and 0.6 metres deep, with a causeway 1 metre across on the south-southeast side. The ditch ran very close to that of the neighbouring Barrow 3 (ST 91 NE 88), but without cutting it. Barrow 2 is presumed to be later in date. Two cremations had been placed into the secondary ditch fill, each representing at least one adult. One deposit comprised burnt flint and cremated bone overlying the main concetnration of cremated bone; the other was overlain by a dense concentration of flint nodules. Among the bone was the tip of a bronze spearhead. A dense concentration of charcoal and a single small potsherd were also present. Two radiocarbon dates centred on the mid 10th century BC (uncalibrated) were obtained. A cremation deposit (at least one juvenile) was found in a shallow scoop in the causeway; another creamtion was found just outside the ditch, east of the causeway, and a possible posthole was nearby. Worked flint recovered from the barrow ditch and the immediate environs is sugested to represent in situ working of nodules found while digging the ditch. The other barrows previosuly described here have now been recorded separately. See associated monument records. |
More information : [NB this record has been recast, and now refers solely to Pitt Rivers' barrow 2 (the Ordnance Survey's "F", below). The other 5 have now been recorded separately (see associated monument records), although the OS descriptive text has also been retained in its entirety below]
(Centred ST 9543 1753) Tumuli (NR). (1)
Six bowl barrows, forming a group named Barrow Pleck by Pitt-Rivers,
and excavated by him in 1880 and 1884.
(A: ST 95491754) A very small barrow, 18 feet in diameter excavated
in 1884. A centrally placed primary cremation was found with four
coarse potsherds, and ten flint flakes.
(B: ST 95481755) A barrow, 40 feet in diameter and 4 1/2 feet high,
with a silted-up ditch, 8 feet wide and 2 1/2 feet deep. On the south
side was a causeway 15 feet wide. Excavation in 1880 revealed two
central (primary?) cremations, one with probably Late Bronze Age
sherds. Eight secondary cremation burials, some with sherds were foundon the south, one of them and a contracted inhumation burial being
found in the causeway. A post hole was found near the central burials.Pseudo-samian and Romano British sherds were found in the ditch.
(C: ST 95461754) A barrow that was destroyed before 1880. It containeda late Bronze Age urn of which one sherd was recovered.
(D: ST 95451752) A barrow 40 feet in diameter and 8 1/2 feet high,
mutilated by the coach road. When excavated in 1880 it was found
to have a surrounding ditch, 9 feet wide and 2 1/2 feet deep. A
cremation burial, with three post holes about it, was found near an
empty, perhaps primary cist. As Late Bronze Age urn and Middle to
Late Bronze Age sherds and animal bones were recovered.
(E: ST 95411754) A very flat barrow, 30 feet in diameter. It was
excavated in 1884 and found to have a surrounding ditch 6 1/2 feet
wide and 2 feet deep. Only potsherds, flint flakes and two
flint-scrapers were found.
(F: ST 95471754) A small bowl barrow with no ditch. When excavated
in 1880 a primary cremation and some flint flakes were found. After
excavation the barrows were 'restored' by Pitt-Rivers, the ditches
being left open and features marked by 'cement'. Finds are in the
Pitt-Rivers Museum, Farnham, Dorset. (2-3)
Six grass covered barrows:
(A: ST 95501755) A bowl barrow, 5m diameter, 0.5m high with no
visible ditch;
(B: ST 95481755) A bowl barrow, 12m diameter, 1.5m high, with a
surrounding ditch 1.5m wide and 0.5m deep except for a 3m wide
causeway on the south. There is a large hollow in the centre.
(C: ST 95461754) The rim of a presumed bowl barrow is visible, 10m
in diameter and 0.4m high.
(D: ST 95451752) A bowl barrow cut on the west by the road, 14m in
diameter and 2m high. There is a ditch 1.5m wide and 0.5m deep.
(E: ST 95421754) A bowl barrow, 11m in diameter, 0.5m high with a
surrounding ditch 1.3m wide and 0.5m deep.
(F: ST 95471754) A small mound 4m diameter and 0.3m high, with a
hollow in the centre. (4)
Barrows 2, 3 and 18 (pitt-rivers number) were re-excavated in 1980. Eight further cremations were found south-east of barrow 3 and four south-east of barrow 2. The excavation proved that the field system of south lodge (ST 91 NE 9) developed around the barrows but is earlier than barrow 18. Four radiocarbon dates range from 960 - 60 bc to 710 - 60 bc. (5)
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