The Modern Antiquarian. Stone Circles, Ancient Sites, Neolithic Monuments, Ancient Monuments, Prehistoric Sites, Megalithic MysteriesThe Modern Antiquarian

Miscellaneous Posts by formicaant

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Castle Ditches (Tisbury) (Hillfort)

Access to the perimeter of this hillfort is via public footpaths, but the interior is private property and permission must be sought.

Gussage Hill (Long Barrow)

Two long barrows in good condition, one of which appears to be overlaying the Dorset Cursus. Very close by is a settlement which now largely appears only as a crop / parch mark.

Milber Down Camp (Hillfort)

Marked on O.S. maps as an enclosure, according to James Dyer in Hillforts of England and Wales it is a hillslope fort. Also from the map it looks to have a road running through the middle of it.
Iron and bronze age artifacts have been found on the site. It was later a site of roman occupation, coins and pavements have been excavated in the past.

Boslow Stone (Standing Stone / Menhir)

I know the OS is in many ways untrustworthy, but this stone appears on sheet 102 as an inscribed stone. Also local artist and writer Ian McNeil Cooke doesn't seem to have any doubts as to the antiquity of the stone.

Chiselbury (Hillfort)

A round shaped, univallate hillfort, near the village of Fovant. Although not megalithic, the hillslope to the north of it, has WW1 army cap badges carved into the chalk. These were done by soldiers camped nearby and at least in some way show a continuity with the distant past.

Old Warren (Hillfort)

I'm not entirely sure about this being a hillfort, not having actually been up it, but it certainly looks like it from the valley below. The hill it sits on is not far from the Valley of Stones and looks north towards Eggardon and Chilcombe hillforts.

Nettlecombe Tout (Hillfort)

A promontory hillfort in one of the more remote spots in Dorset. Close by is the Dorsetshire gap, a meeting place of five ancient trackways. The hillfort is formed by a double bank and ditch cutting across the hill called Nettlecombe Tout, leaving a twenty acre hillfort at the end.

Musbury Castle (Hillfort)

From the Gazeteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868).

"Musbury Castle a double ditched camp of 20 acres in this parish".

Dogbury Hill (Hillfort)

A small, little known univallate hillfort, the only real mention of this site on the whole web is a reference to it by Thomas Hardy in Tess of the D'Urbevilles.

Cerne Abbas Giant (Hill Figure)

Whilst there is dispute about the age of the big bloke, a very cogent argument for an early age is given in the only book I know of which is entirely devoted to the subject - The Cerne Giant by Rodney Castleden.
Although he's a big lad, he hasn't always been quite so well endowed, there is an early edwardian photographic postcard which clearly shows him having a navel. This was incorporated into his penis when the giant was re-cut in 1908.

The Hellstone (Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech)

The earlier comment about the stones having been flung here by the devil from Portland may not be wholly accurate, but the capstone was replaced by quarrymen from the island using screw jacks. It weighed in at a hefty 16 tons, this work was completed on August 14th 1869.
At least the Hellstone was restored, as the fate of a similar sounding neolithic burial mound, whose stones stood immediately north west of Blackdown barn (SY607870) were apparently completely broken up by farm workers. Thank whoever you want that a similar fate didn't befall the Hellstone.

Wyke Down (Barrow / Cairn Cemetery)

Yet another large barrow cemetery, this is south of Oakley down. It consists of twenty plus barrows of various types , including a long barrow , either side of Ackling dyke. One of the barrows appears to overlay the course of the Dorset cursus (from mapping evidence , if you trust the O.S.)

Badbury Rings (Hillfort)

Sorry to be an utter pedant but Badbury was never called Durnovaria as is this modern day Dorchester , it was in fact reckoned to be Vindocladia , although there is some dispute as to the exact location.

Gallax Hill (Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork)

This site in the Brendon hills is marked on O.S. maps as an enclosure , I have seen it listed as an iron age site elsewhere , it looks to be closely associated with Bats castle. As with Bats castle more info will appear in these pages soon , once I've visited both places.

Bats Castle (Hillfort)

Close to the national trust site, Dunster castle, the trust website calls Bats castle an iron age hillfort. I will be visiting this place in the very near future and will add fieldnotes and photos to T.M.A. soon.

Eggardon Hill (Hillfort)

The hexagonal mark noted in Rob Gillespie's fieldnotes is reckoned to be the mark left by a plantation of trees . These were supposedly planted by the owner at the time , who was a naval captain , he is said to have used them as landmark to be seen from the sea . Sounds a bit dodgy to me , but not completely barking mad.

Bulbury Camp (Hillfort)

This is now a golf course, which doesn't seem to have any public access.I know some strange people who play golf, and have been here, and I'm told there isn't much to see. Apparently there is part of a single rampart with a curve, the rest appears to have been ploughed out long ago.

Poundbury Hillfort

I have just come back from the county museum , having shown them the piece of flint I found the other day.A very helpful curator told me it is a broken part of a scraper.These were all purpose tools , used for butchery , removing bark from wood , preparing animal hides etc. It's not of any great importance , but is a definite link back to the original users of the hillfort.

Came Down Golf Club (Barrow / Cairn Cemetery)

I drive past this place most days , can't understand the golf thing , but it does keep the barrows in good nick. This is part of the south Dorset ridgeway chain of monuments , which must be one of the largest concentrations of barrows in the country. All types and sizes of barrow are included in this group and the golf club barrows are some of the best preserved.

Lewesdon Hill (Hillfort)

There may have been some occupation, but would a hillfort be necessary here anyway with Pilsdon so close by? I wouldn't be surprised if the hill had been used in ancient times as the Golden cap is directly south on the coast. It is the disputed highest point Dorset, Pilsdon is often reckoned to be but Lewesdon is marked higher on o.s. maps, for what that's worth.
Glad to be proven wrong by the above, newer entries.
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Always been interested in old stuff and making sure it stays in good nick.
I grew up within a hundred yards or so of Pounbury hillfort and within a mile of Maiden castle and have long wondered about the peoples who built these and the many other sites which proliferate in Dorset. My special interest is in the many barrows of all kinds in the area.
Have recently moved near to Weymouth and am lucky enough to be able to see barrows, a cross ridge dyke and an ancient trackway from my back garden.

My TMA Content: