EDO5750 - Bronze Age barrows opened on Blackwater Hill, Hurn, Christchurch; antiquarian excavation 1852

The gold torc now exhibited was found in 1852 by the third Earl of Malmesbury in a barrow at Blackwater. It is not clear in which of the many barrows here it was discovered but it must have been one of those which are scattered over the top and side of St Catherine's Hill. The only account of the finding of the torc is contained in (a): "On these heaths there are many barrows, of which I have opened three. In the first the layers of turf were perfectly preserved in slices, one upon another, and on reaching the level the body was clearly delineated in black bone-dust. In the second the ashes were in a vase of unbaked pottery, and in the third there was only a beautiful twisted bracelet of solid gold". That these barrows were at Blackwater is known from a label preserved with the bracelet at Heron Court. (1) The large size of the barrows (possibly those at SZ 19 NW 19) and the B.A. evidence from the other two opened at the same time suggest EBA contracted burial. (2) No information was gained during recording or fieldwork to enable the barrows in which these finds were made to be identified. (3) ( 1a) General reference "Memoirs of an ex-Minister" 1885, 8, 9 (Third Earl of Malmesbury) ( 1) General reference O G S Crawford P S A 24 1911-12 39 (o G S Crawford) ( 2) General reference Proc.Hants FC and AS, 14, 1938-40, 17 (L V Grinsell) ( 3) Field Investigators Comments F1 WCW 15-JUL-54 NMR UID: 650748