Monument record MDO4333 - Circular Enclosure, Melbury Hill, Melbury Abbas
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Summary
A circular enclosure surrounding Melbury Beacon on the summit of Melbury Hill. Its date and function are not certain. It may be a plantation boundary of no great antiquity.
The record for this monument has been enhanced with support from Wessex Water.
Map
Type and Period (1)
Full Description
Surrounding Melbury beacon and the summit of Melbury Hill is a circular enclosure, 120m in diameter, with a bank, 2.5m wide and 0.3m high, and an internal ditch 1m wide and 0.2m deep. There is no visible entrance but the bank has been disturbed on the south east side of the enclosure. The date and function of this enclosure is not known, and its relationship to the beacon is uncertain.
'Meleberig Dune'. <2>
A low irregular entrenchment surrounds Melbury Beacon. Description on plan, nothing in text. <3>
An ancient circular earthwork, supposed to be of British origin. <4>
No reference to the Md. Character of Melbury Beacon was found during recording but the topographical position and extensive view obtainable at the site is such as to reasonably assume that it was used as a beacon in Md. Times. The perfectly circular earthwork which surrounds the site consists of a small bank with an inner ditch. The bank is 1.5m wide and 0.2m. High; the ditch 1.0m. Wide and 0.1m deep. There is no visible entrance, but the S.W. quadrant has been severely mutilated by animal burrows and modern surface digging. The interior of the enclosure has slight hummocks and depressions, and is under rough pasture. The condition, size and shape of the earthwork does not suggest great antiquity, and it is not of a prehistoric nature: it encircles the hill well below the summit and its weakness is inherent. From appearance it is more like a plantation boundary bank and ditch, and as such would probably be of comparatively modern date. <5>
Confirms 5 above. <6>
No change since 23.1.56. <7>
Sources/Archives (10)
- <1> SWX1540 Map: Ordnance Survey. Ordnance Survey Map 6in. 6 inch to 1 mile. 1930.
- <2> SWX7265 Map: Crawford, O G S. Annotated record map 6 inch. 6 inch to 1 mile.
- <3> SDO16661 Monograph: Sumner, H. The Ancient Earthworks of Cranborne Chase.
- <4> SDO18525 Unpublished document: Ordnance Survey. 1929. Ordnance Survey Object Name Book reference revision 1929.
- <4.1> SDO17849 Verbal communication: Way, G C. 1900. Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments: G C Way (Estate agent to Sir R Glen) May 1900.
- <5> SDO11903 Unpublished document: Quinnell, N V. Various. Field Investigators Comments NVQ. F1 NVQ 23-JAN-56.
- <6> SDO99 Monograph: Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England). 1972. An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume IV (North). 48.
- <7> SDO17369 Unpublished document: Barrett, G. Various. Field Investigators Comments GB. F2 GB 03-JAN-78.
- <8> SDO17351 Scheduling record: DCMS. 1999. Scheduled Monument Notification 1999. 10-Aug-99.
- <9> SDO14739 Digital archive: National Record of the Historic Environment. 205840.
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (1)
Related Events/Activities (0)
Location
| Grid reference | Centred ST 873 197 (128m by 128m) |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | ST81NE |
| Civil Parish | Compton Abbas; Dorset |
| Civil Parish | Melbury Abbas; Dorset |
| Unitary Authority | Dorset |
Protected Status/Designation
Other Statuses/References
- Legacy UID: Dorset Sites and Monuments Record: 2 038 016 A
- Legacy UID: National Monuments Record: ST 81 NE 1
- Legacy UID: National Record of the Historic Environment: 205840
- Royal Commission Inventory Reference: Melbury Abbas 16
Record last edited
Mar 20 2023 2:53PM