Monument record MDO6059 - Enclosure on Woodcutts Common, Sixpenny Handley

Please read our .

Summary

A prehistoric settlement surrounded by a bank and ditch. Late Iron Age/Romano-British in date. Dug into by Austen in 1863 and excavated by General Pitt-Rivers in 1884-5. Partially reconstructed in the nineteenth century. The complex consists of a series of enclosures with ditches, pits and corn drying ovens. Three general phases of occupation were found dating to the 1st, late 2nd and early 4th centuries, but occupation was continuous. Remains of a bronze casket and coin hoard consisting of 36 coins dating from 74 BC to around AD 180 or 270 was found, along with burials. Numerous and varied finds were recovered including agricultural and domestic tools.

Map

Type and Period (5)

Full Description

Sixpenny Handley 19. Possible 'necked' or 'banjo' enclosure, area 0.7ha = Phase II from Hawkes. Pentagonal enclosure, area 0.3ha = Phase III from Hawkes. [Plans of comparable sites]. <7-8>

Sources/Archives (13)

  • <1> Monograph: Austen, J H. 1863. Notes on Some Vestiges of Roman Occupation.
  • <2> Monograph: Pitt Rivers, A H L F. 1887. Excavations in Cranborne Chase near Rushmore, on the borders of Dorset and Wilts. Vol. 1: excavations in the Romano-British village on Woodcuts Common, and Romano-British antiquities in Rushmore Park.
  • <3> Monograph: Sumner, H. The Ancient Earthworks of Cranborne Chase.
  • <4> Map: Ordnance Survey. Ordnance Survey Map 6in. 6 inch to 1 mile. 1963.
  • <5> Serial: Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society. 1972. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1971. 93.
  • <6> Monograph: Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England). 1975. An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume V (East). 68-69.
  • <7> Monograph: Bowen, H C. 1990. The Archaeology of Bokerley Dyke. 127 pp.
  • <8> Monograph: Bowen, H C. 1991. The Archaeology of Bokerley Dyke: Inventory. 29.
  • <9> Unpublished document: Hazell, Z, and Campbell, G. 2018. Analysis of wood charcoal remains from the Pitt Rivers Archive, The Salisbury Museum: Woodcutts Common, Dorset.
  • <10> Unpublished document: Royal Commission on Historic Monuments. Externally held archive: RCH01/091 RCHME Inventory: Dorset V (East).
  • <11> Index: Historic England. Historic England Archive. 1018324 PITT RIVERS COLLECTION.
  • <12> Index: Historic England. Historic England Archive. 884197 RCHME: Woodcuts Common, Sixpenny Handley, Dorset.
  • <13> Digital archive: National Record of the Historic Environment. 209777.

Finds (4)

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Events/Activities (3)

Location

Grid reference ST 963 181 (point)
Map sheet ST91NE
Civil Parish Sixpenny Handley; Dorset
Unitary Authority Dorset

Protected Status/Designation

Other Statuses/References

  • Legacy UID: Dorset Sites and Monuments Record: 3 020 019
  • Legacy UID: National Monuments Record: ST 91 NE 24
  • Legacy UID: National Record of the Historic Environment: 209777
  • Royal Commission Inventory Reference: Sixpenny Handley 19

Record last edited

Aug 30 2022 11:29AM

Comments and Feedback

Do you have any questions or more information about this record? Please feel free to comment below with your name and email address. All comments are submitted to the website maintainers for moderation, and we aim to respond/publish as soon as possible. Comments, questions and answers that may be helpful to other users will be retained and displayed along with the name you supply. The email address you supply will never be displayed or shared.