Monument record MDO1395 - Brick kiln on Black Down, Littlebredy

An earthwork mound with an internal hollow, originally thought to be site of a possible Bronze Age bowl barrow, now assumed more likely to be the remains of a post medieval brick kiln.

(Centred SY 601874). Two bowl barrows situated on Black Down near the south boundary of Little Bredy parish, 600 yards south-south-west of enclosure (SY 68 NW 9 ). The more southerly barrow `B` is about 48ft diameter and 5ft high and damaged by quarrying. Barrow `A` is situated 26 yards north west of `B` and is about 55ft diameter and 5ft high; it has been much disturbed. <2> `A` - SY 60098745. A ditchless mound 22.0m diameter by 1.0m high partly bracken covered with a hollow centre. A large quantity of brick rubble in the sides of the hollow suggest that a building may have stood here at one time or, equally, that the mound is an old dump. <3> `A` - SY 60108746. A bowl barrow, 24 paces diameter and 4 ft high with hollow centre. <4> `A` SY 60098744. A substantial mound completely gorse-covered, 17.0m. In diameter and up to 1.5m. High, with a hollow centre bounded by a rim average 5.0m. Wide, it has a gap 3.5m. Wide on the W side. There is no visible evidence of a ditch. Superficial examination of the interior revealed it to be composed of brick-earth with `brick-bats` and associated debris occuring around the S. side of the feature. It appears to overlie a bank flanked by deep parallel runnels, which run in a NE-SW direction (?old tramway). Visual evidence of the mound and its close proximity to old clay-workings suggest it to be the probable remains of an old brick-kiln. Surveyed at 1:2500 on MSD (6) Site of a possible Bronze Age bowl barrow, one of two potential barrows situated on Black Down (MDO1394-5), near the south boundary of Little Bredy parish. It is recorded by the RCHM <2> as measuring about 55ft. In diam and 5ft. high and noted as having been much disturbed. A ditchless mound is described in field investigator's comments made in 1955 <3> as measuring 22.0m diameter by 1.0m high partly bracken covered with a hollow centre. A large quantity of brick rubble in the sides of the hollow suggest that a building may have stood here at one time or equally, that the mound is an old dump. Field investigators comments made in 1980 <6> record a substantial mound completely gorse-covered, 17.0m. In diameter and up to 1.5m. High, with a hollow centre bounded by a rim average 5.0m. Wide, it has a gap 3.5m. Wide on the W side. There is no visible evidence of a ditch. Superficial examination of the interior revealed it to be composed of brick-earth with `brick-bats` and associated debris occuring around the S. side of the feature. It appears to overlie a bank flanked by deep parallel runnels, which run in a NE-SW direction (?old tramway). Visual evidence of the mound and its close proximity to old clay-workings suggest it to be the probable remains of an old brick-kiln. This feature is also visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs <8> as a sub-rectangular hollow measuring approximately 7.5 x 5 metres, surrounded by a bank on its north, east and southern edges. This site was digitally plotted during the South Dorset Ridgeway Mapping Project.

Record last edited

May 17 2023 12:56PM