Monument record MDO7267 - Bell barrow, one of The Five Marys, Chaldon Herring

A Bronze Age bell barrow, one of the Five Marys group, is visible as an earthwork on lidar imagery to the north of Chaldon Herring.

A group of barrows known as the Five Marys and shown as 'Five Meers' (boundary marks) on Taylor's Map of Dorset 1765. (See Concordance card for individual barrows and details). Two of the barrows were excavated under the direction of the exiled Duchess of Berri who resided at Lulworth Castle after the dethronement of Charles X of France (in 1830). In one barrow, a deep chalk-cut grave contained two adult inhumations (male and female in a 'sitting' (contracted) position with stag antlers placed on each shoulder of both burials. In the other barrow were the remains of a similar inhumation (male) with stag antlers overlying each shoulder, also contained within a chalk- cut grave. <1> <2> An Abercromby Type 4 Deverel Group 2 urn containing cremated bone was also found. Now in Dorchester Museum. RCHM suggest that 'A' and 'C' (see Concordance) were the two barrows excavated. <4> <6> <7> The Five Marys (name not confirmed) - a group of barrows centred SY 79038420. 'C' SY 79038421. Bell barrow: diameter 18.0m. And height 3.0m., with a berm 1.0m. Wide. There are faint and unsurveyable traces of a ditch. <5> The probable pond barrow at SY 79008421 was not found. Re-surveyed at 1:2500 on MSD. <8> A Bronze Age bell barrow, one of the Five Marys group, is visible as an earthwork on lidar imagery <11> to the north of Chaldon Herring. The barrow is sub-circular and measures 15 m in diameter. An external ditch is visible on its southern, eastern and western sides. This feature was digitally plotted as part of the Wild Purbeck Mapping Project.

Record last edited

Jan 22 2024 12:28PM