Monument record MDO2858 - Spoil heap, West Knighton

Site of a probable 18th century brickworks waste heap visible as earthworks on aerial photographs.

A grass covered bowl barrow in marshy ground. Diameter 25.0m, height 0.6m. Hollowed out on the east side. No visible ditch. <1> Disturbed, doubtful bowl barrow. <2> Mound, kidney-shaped, irregular (SY 736338780), 460 yds north-east of the church and immediately south-east of Common Plantation in boggy grassland over Reading Beds. Width about 66 ft, hut about 2 ft. <4> Large mound, as described by RCHM (4), with two smaller mounds to the east of it. Recent mole-drainage of the area shows the mounds to be composed of brick and tile 'wasters'. A representative selection of material deposited in Dorchester Museum. Surveyed at 1:2500 on MSD. <5> The feature marked 'Tumulus' at SY 73638780 was ploughed in 1971 revealing a mass of brick and tile debris. Subsequent trial excavation, supported by documentary evidence established the site to be a mid-18th century brickyard, with a contemporary clay-pit still existing in Common Plantation. The kiln site was not located. Excavation finds consisted of mainly broken bricks, roofing tiles and crested ridge tiles; also wasters and (?furze) charcoal. Material found by 0S (5) is similar to that found during excavation). <6> Site of a probable 18th century brickworks waste heap visible as earthworks on aerial photographs. Recorded as a 'tumulus' on the 1880 OS map. <8-10>

Record last edited

Jan 4 2024 4:43PM