Monument record MDO47789 - Bowl barrow, Winterborne St Martin

A bowl barrow excavated in 1839 by Sydenham and Warne. No dimensions were published by either. At the core of the mound was a cairn of flints. Over this were layers of earth and flints, with some ashes, charcoal and chalk. The exterior of the mound was covered by a thin layer of flints. At the top of the mound and immediately below this flint layer was an extended inhumation (Saxon?). Numerous potsherds in the vicinity of this burial were interpreted as representing an earlier deposit disturbed by the inhumation. Further into the mound was an inverted biconical urn covering a cremation. Further into the mound again, and just above the flint cairn, was a (crouched?) child inhumation with a food vessel. The flint cairn covered a shallow pit cut 7 inches into the chalk, but measuring 7 feet by 4 feet, and containing an inhumation with pottery vessel (unidentified) filled with chalk rubble and an antler. Identifying this barrow on the ground has proved difficult. Neither Sydenham nor Warne provided enough locational detail to identify it with confidence.

Grinsell assumed it to be one of the Rew Group (SY 69 SW 49), whereas RCHME suggested it was probably one of their "Third Milestone Group" (SY 69 SW 51). The latter is followed here. See those records and their associated monuments for additional sources and information. With regard to numbering schemes, Grinsell lists it as Winterborne St Martin 5b, although he suggests it should be identified with one of his Winterborne St Martin 1-5. In the RCHME scheme, it is one of the barrows Winterborne St Martin 114-118, some of which are listed by Grinsell as his numbers 6-8. [NB the excavation described above was formerly recorded as part of SY 69 SW 72. See that record for additional sources and information]. <>

Record last edited

Feb 10 2024 7:56AM