Monument record MDO8115 - Bowling Green, Wareham

The site of a bowling green, of probable 18th century date, which survives as a rectilinear earthwork. It may have been part of a pleasure garden.

The Bowling Green is probably a post-medieval enclosure lying in the north east corner of the town. It is rectangular with an almost flat interior, approx. 180ft wide (east-west) by 90ft, surrounded by a low bank about 12ft wide with an external ditch 6ft wide and now 1 3/4ft below the crest of the bank. Traces of gaps at the east and west ends suggest entrances, a ramped causeway leads to the east entrance from the summit of the town rampart. The north east corners of the enclosure clearly lies over the tail of the town bank. It could perhaps have been constructed as part of a pleasure garden (a); a brick tower, Dugdales Folly, once stood west of it. Fairs were held here in the 18th century and it is shown on surveys of 1762 though not those of 1746. <2> Excavation on the Bowling Green earthwork at Wareham in 1972 suggested that it was of mid 18th century construction although its exact purpose is unknown. Many 12th century sherds were found on the site which were thought to have been disturbed from medieval rubbish deposits. <3> The remains of a rectilinear enclosure, approximately 60m x 33m, is visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs <6> and Lidar Images <7>. This feature was digitally plotted during the South West Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey (Dorset). It is still visible on the most recent comprehensive aerial imagery available to the Project <8>.

Record last edited

May 31 2023 11:43AM