Monument record MDO6529 - Southwell Shaft mound, Portland
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Summary
Mound of the unsuccessful Southwell Shaft, sunk to find a water supply in 1893. Mound, not precisely identified at Portland, later damaged by the construction of a children's playground. The mound is visible as an earthwork on recent lidar imagery of 2007.
Map
Type and Period (1)
Full Description
Mound (SY 68357019), on south slope near bottom of broad gully. Diameter about 110ft height 15ft. Flat- topped but irregular, with shelter dug into south west. Not shown on Tithe Map (1841), when in Under Hedge furlong, though Rough Barrow furlong adjacent on south. <1>
SY 68357018. An amorphous grass-covered mound of uncertain date and purpose mutilated by the construction of a children's playground. Diameter 35.0m by 30.0m; height 2.5m maximum. Resurveyed at 1/1250 on MSD. <2>
This is most likely to be the failed Southwell Shaft, sunk to seek a water supply in 1893. A photograph has been published. <3>
Shown on 1901 map <4> with 'W' for well, and as a broad mound in a field in 1926 <5>.
The mound is visible as an earthwork on recent lidar imagery of 2007 <6>. The mound is sub-circular with a hollow on the left hand side. It measures approximately 32 m in diameter. This site was digitally plotted during the South West Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey (Dorset).
Sources/Archives (7)
- <1> SDO150 Monograph: Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England). 1970. An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3. 482.
- <2> SDO11900 Unpublished document: Barton, J G. Various. Field Investigators Comments JGB. F1 JGB 30-JUL-80.
- <3> SWX8084 Monograph: Morris, S. 1985 . Portland, An Illustrated History. . pp106-7.
- <4> SDO10281 Map: Ordnance Survey. 1901. Ordnance Survey 25-inch map, sheet LX.3.
- <5> SDO10282 Map: Ordnance Survey. 1929. Ordnance Survey 25-inch map, sheet LX.3.
- <6> SDO13035 Aerial Photograph: Channel Coastal Observatory. 31-OCT-2006. Lidar SY6870SW.
- <7> SDO14739 Digital archive: National Record of the Historic Environment. 451835.
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (1)
Location
| Grid reference | Centred SY 68347 70186 (39m by 39m) (5 map features) |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | SY67SE |
| Unitary Authority | Dorset |
Protected Status/Designation
- None recorded
Other Statuses/References
- Legacy UID: Dorset Sites and Monuments Record: 4 001 097
- Legacy UID: National Monuments Record: SY 67 SE 43
- Legacy UID: National Record of the Historic Environment: 451835
- Royal Commission Inventory Reference: Portland 97
Record last edited
Jun 9 2023 6:11AM