Knowlton Henges

Also known as:
Knowlton Circles and Monument No. 213817
Nearest town:
Wimborne Minster (10km S)
OS reference:
SU024103
OS sheet:
195
Latitude:
50° 53' 29.71 N
Longitude:
1° 57' 57.14 W

Images

Image of Knowlton Henges by postman

Sunset over the western entrance 21 March 2020

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman Mar 22, 2020
Image of Knowlton Henges by postman

The Clootied Yew trees, with or without cloots? Yew trees are awesome.

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman Mar 22, 2020
Image of Knowlton Henges by GLADMAN

Thoughts of sore thumbs – or surplus appendages at matrimonial functions – spring to mind....... nevertheless, there’s no doubt it’s a fine henge.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Mar 19, 2016
Image of Knowlton Henges by juamei

Open Source Environment agency LIDAR

Image credit: © Environment Agency copyright and/or database right 2015.
juamei
juamei Jan 5, 2016
Image of Knowlton Henges by A R Cane

Panorama looking broadly North West under a glowering Dorset sky.

Image credit: A R Cane
A R Cane
A R Cane Jun 22, 2011
Image of Knowlton Henges by A R Cane

Large sandstone(?) block at the base of a corner of the Church. Difficult to know if these were part of a circle that was destroyed in the building of the church or not.

Image credit: A R Cane
A R Cane
A R Cane Jun 22, 2011
Image of Knowlton Henges by A R Cane

Hard to say if this was part of a circle/setting or from the Church.

Image credit: A R Cane
A R Cane
A R Cane Jun 22, 2011
Image of Knowlton Henges by formicaant

The eastern bank and inner ditch with the Great barrow in the background.

Image credit: Mike Rowland 28/07/2008.
formicaant
formicaant Jul 28, 2008
Image of Knowlton Henges by formicaant

The western and northern bank and ditches and the northern entrance.

Image credit: Mike Rowland 28/07/2008.
formicaant
formicaant Jul 28, 2008
Image of Knowlton Henges by Snuzz

Roadside view of Knowlton Henge and church, 19th March 2006

Image credit: Snuzz
Snuzz
Snuzz Mar 21, 2006
Image of Knowlton Henges by texlahoma

knowlton henge at the sunrise on the summer solstice 2005

Image credit: texlahoma
texlahoma
texlahoma Jun 24, 2005
Image of Knowlton Henges by Snuzz

Ruined church on a sunny day, at Knowlton Henges

Image credit: Snuzz
Snuzz
Snuzz Jan 13, 2005
Image of Knowlton Henges by Snuzz

Entrance view of the church ruin inside the henge.

Image credit: Snuzz
Snuzz
Snuzz Jan 12, 2005
Image of Knowlton Henges by texlahoma

as the sun rose over knowlton at winter solstice 2004

Image credit: texlahoma
texlahoma
texlahoma Jan 9, 2005
Image of Knowlton Henges by Snuzz

The buttress of the church at Knowlton Henges. The pull is incredible. 30th December 2004

Image credit: Snuzz
Snuzz
Snuzz Jan 5, 2005
Image of Knowlton Henges by ocifant

No break in the bank by the trees – could they have been planted when the church was built?

Image credit: Alan S>
ocifant
ocifant May 5, 2003
Image of Knowlton Henges by phil

On the day we went we found these offerings left on Yew tree at edge of the site.

phil
phil Dec 27, 2001

Articles

Knowlton Henges

Dowsers find stone from ancient temple

texlahoma
texlahoma Jun 12, 2005

Source: Bournemouth Daily Echo
Date Published: Friday 10 June 2005
AN ancient standing stone from a lost sun temple has been unearthed by dowsers in east Dorset.
Students on a local dowsing course discovered the hidden Bronze Age relic at Knowlton Henge, two miles south of Cranborne.
Experts believe it is one of the most exciting finds in the region for years.
And, intriguingly, the dowsers pinpointed the ancient flat stone after spotting an energy line on a photo of the area.
“It’s a very significant find,” said Paul Craddock, chairman of Wessex Dowsers and a local dowsing tutor.
“Where the stone was discovered, we believe there may have an avenue of stones. We also think there is a second stone close by, buried upright in the ground.”
Dating as far back as 4,000BC, the large slab is thought to have been part of the stone circles of a pagan sun temple.
It is widely believed the henge was either knocked down or broken up when the now ruined 12th century Norman Knowlton Church was built on the same spot.
It was common practice for early Christians to take over the older pagan sites, as local people were used to worshipping at the sacred circles.
Some of the stones are thought to have been used in the church’s foundations, and may also form part of the altar.
Dowsing expert Paul Craddock, from Parkstone, first suspected an energy line running in the area near the stone after a “ghost” line appeared on three photographs taken by a friend’s son.
He runs courses on dowsing and decided to take his students up to the site to practise some of their dowsing techniques.
One tracked the energy line directly to the stone, which was lying hidden under thick weeds.
Dorset ancient stone expert and author Peter Knight has now examined the megalith and says he is “very excited” about the find, and keen to notify local archaeologists.
Paul was delighted with the success of his dowsing students.
“Most people know dowsing as a means of finding water with a twig, but it can also be used for archaeological searches, building site surveys, tracing lost objects, and much more,” he said.
Government departments and public utilities both here and abroad discreetly make use of the techniques, as dowsers are far cheaper than ordering full site surveys.
During the Vietnam War in the 1970s, US soldiers were taught dowsing to locate hidden Viet Cong tunnels.
It can also be used in healing, said Paul, with many doctors in Germany, Austria and France using dowsers in their health care programs.
And he says interest in dowsing is on the rise locally, with more students signing up for courses in techniques using rods and pendulums.
For more details, call Paul at Wessex Dowsers on 01202 733452.

First published: June 10
thisisbournemouth.co.uk/dorset/east_dorset/news/EAST_DORSET_NEWS_NEWS1.html

Knowlton Henges

Archaeologists begin big dig for knowledge

Jane
Jane Jul 27, 2004

by Lynn Jackson, from This is East Dorset

AN AMBITIOUS project to uncover ancient archaeological remains dating back to the Bronze Age is due to start in east Dorset next month.

A team led by archaeologists from Bournemouth University plans to investigate a number of round barrows from around 2000BC at Knowlton Circles, south of Cranborne, as well as other ancient monuments along the Allen Valley.

Historians believe this part of Dorset was heavily occupied 4,000 years ago, but very little is known about how these early people lived.

Project leader John Gale, who is organising this summer’s dig with both university students and local volunteers, said: “It could be very exciting. There are hundreds of round barrows in this area, although many are hard to spot on the surface.

“Ancient monuments on Cranborne Chase have been relatively well studied but there’s been very little excavation work carried out in the Knowlton area and along the Allen Valley.

“The last major dig in this part of Dorset was sometime in the 1890s, but since then it’s hardly been looked at.”

As well as Bronze Age remains, archaeologists have also unearthed evidence of a nearby Romano-British settlement dating back to the first century AD.

Now, the university-led team hopes to do more exploratory work on this widespread site, with a view to carrying out excavations over the next four years.

Students and volunteers are set to start the dig on August 9, and will be on site six days a week, with Saturdays off.

Visitors are welcome to come and see how the work is progressing.

Published 27 July 2004

Knowlton Henges

postman
postman Mar 23, 2020

It’s been a long time since I was last here, I find myself saying that quite often these days, it was before my digital camera era, my daughter was in nappies and my son wasn’t even real yet. So, with daylight waning I headed to Knowlton Henge for an equinox sunset, which was yesterday, some things never change.
I managed to find my way to it without the comfort of an O.S map, it’s marked on my road map and that was just about enough. Only two cars were parked at the entrance so I easily squeezed the mobile isolation unit in and I hastened to enter the site.

Twenty years ago this summer was my last time here, with my wife and small daughter, it was a warm late afternoon, swallows swooped, bees buzzed, small daughter toddled around half naked chasing the dog, we sat in the grass, partaking, wondering at the perfectness of it all.
A million years later.....
I’m here on my own after one of the longest stoning days ever, i’m very tired, and core blimey it’s cold. The occupants of the two cars have taken up residence on the henge bank with tripoded cameras, waiting for the sunset. I was shouted at once by a fat crusty woman for walking on a henge, I wonder how many henges she’s been to.
The memories of an old man are the deeds of a man in his prime, some one once said, I often wonder if my obsession with seeing stones is born out of those few perfect summers with small children and love in the air, with all these new places to visit with fewer worries. Maybe.

Having wandered slowly about the church I was naturally drawn to the pair of Yew trees by the eastern entrance to the henge, I’m guessing they’re about the same age as the church, Yew trees are awesome, they’re practically immortal, the church can collapse and the henge wear down, but the Yew trees would still be there. The trees are close enough together to form a kind of plant cave who’s walls are covered in cloots, if that’s what we’re calling them, coloured ribbons, often with messages written upon them, I have no strong feelings about them one way or the other. But I do like Yew trees.

I stand upon the henge bank with the other photographers, keeping further apart than two meters I can tell you, I’ve been practicing social distancing for decades, I’m very good at it.
Watching the sun slither down in the sky shining brightly through the dappling cloud, it was quite nice. Still cold though. As the sun got lower all manner of folk turned up to share the spectacle, most notable was a bloke with five, yes five Red Setters which he then let off the lead to charge around uncontrollably.
One of the photographers, with prolonged use of the F word, was audibly upset.

But it was all water off a ducks back for me, i’m not expecting bucolic yesteryear flawlessness, i’m not expecting anyone to take my wants or needs into consideration. I’ll just be glad to have a better sunset than this mornings sunrise and a safe and uneventful and uninfected drive home wouldn’t go amiss either.

Knowlton Henges

C
CARL Oct 15, 2014

Visited 13.10.14

Directions:
Sign posted off the B3078. You can park right next to the site.

This is one of those sites that I had been looking forward to visiting for a long time.
I am pleased to say I wasn’t disappointed – despite the heavy rain coming down.
(At least I had the site to myself!)

This is pretty much as easy a henge you are ever likely to visit. It has obviously suffered from erosion over the years but it is still in pretty good condition. It must have been very impressive when first constructed.

What surprised me was the old yew tree at the far side of the henge which was covered in clooties, bells, feathers, messages etc. Some of the messages were quite moving. It is nice that some people keep the old traditions alive.

The ruined church is also an obvious place to have a look around.
Inside the church were many tea lights scattered about the floor.

Knowlton Henge is well worth visiting if you are in the area.

That’s another English Heritage site knocked off the list!

Knowlton Henges

texlahoma
texlahoma Oct 31, 2004

Charlie and I visited this site again today. This time it was late afternoon and the sun was setting fast as we got out of the car and took some photos of the henge on this Halloween night. Last time we we here in the middle of the day and the ground was covered in snow. Today the place took on a completely different feel as night set in, and we saw the place for the first time in relation to the night sky. There is some work going on inside the church at the moment, and the scaffolding inside from some angles somewhat spoils the overall vibe of the place, as does the portaloo right at the entrance to the henge. However this didn’t detract from our time, walking around the henge in the dark, lit only by the moon and stars with the sounds of owls hooting and far away farm dogs barking into the night.

Knowlton Henges

ocifant
ocifant May 5, 2003

I travelled down after reading the reviews, looking forward to seeing the site, which didn’t disappoint.

Although the church has somewhat taken over the site, the fact that it’s also in ruins just added to the atmosphere at the site, suggesting that no belief is constant...

I’d expected to see the two magnificent yews flanking an entrance from the entries here, but the placement of the trees is more in line with the church than the henge, which is unbroken by the trees (see photo)

Knowlton Henges

phil
phil Dec 27, 2001

Loved this site! Very easy to reach from the roadside although no direction signs .Very peaceful place only saw 2 other people. The church and henge are very accessable grass is kept very short. Earlier in the day we visited Badbury Rings hoping to find peace but found a heaving carpark and hoards of people walking off their Christmas dinners!

It seems the early Christians made a habit of taking over the old religious sites such as Knowlton Henge. This could be blamed on Pope Gregory who in 601 C.E. said..

“The temples of the idols in the said country ought not to be broken; but the idols alone which be in them . . . If the said temples be well built, it is needful that they be altered from the worshipping of devils into the service of the true God.”

The is a good article on this subject at..
watchtower.org/library/w/1999/3/15/article_01.htm

As you can guess from the URL, the site is Official Web Site of Jehovah’s Witnesses! but it makes interesting reading whatever you chose to believe.

Kernow Phil

Knowlton Henges

C
chrissieboy Sep 24, 2000

I drove from Southampton to Knowlton with Charlieboy – it’s the nearest of the Antiquarian sites to Southampton and it was a sunny day.

Knowlton is easy to find from a road atlas and is right at the side of the lane. It’s spectacular to look at – a ruined church inside a henge, one religion following another and in the end all gone and just the countryside left ongoing. The knarled old Yew trees at the far end of the henge give a traditional spiritual feel.

There are apparently a whole complex of henges, enclosures etc all around, possibly making one of the most important sites in Wessex, but most of it is just vaguely discernable, ploughed out.

This was Charlieboy’s first experience – a Megalithic virgin! He was well broken in by Knowlton Henge.

Knowlton Henges

J
johan Sep 21, 2000

There is a very good site that forms part of the Stone Circle Webring – can’t remember URL or name! – which gives good detailed information about this site. What you see is a lovely little henge, a big barrow and a tiny church. Visited it by accident when at Bournemouth Uni a few years back. The site on the Web-ring reveals a much larger ritual area that points to a very complex and important site in antiquity. Well worth a visit, I found it most relaxing.

Knowlton Henges

R
Ronnie Sep 21, 2000

I cycled there with a friend a few weeks ago, (from Bournemouth where I live its only anbout 10 miles). A glorious sunny day, I feel this place is very unique. Of all the sites I have visited, there’s something intimate and homely about Knowlton.
We had a small picnick and a smoke (ran out of matched and had to ask two gentile mature artists painting watercolours on easels, for a light).
Two ancient Ewe trees that grow at a gap in the Henge, like living guardians either side an entrance. At the base of each, in little alcoves amongst the roots and undergrowth, were symetrical offerings of a fresh Strawberry, a Clover flower and a pretty stone.

We left with warm hearts!

Knowlton Henges

dickie
dickie Aug 27, 2000

Learnt a lesson not to follow directions from TMA that refer to smell i.e. we missed the big smelly farm because it wasn’t smelly on the day we went. We’ll rely on more visible landmarks in future . Any way only took one wrong turn. Also saw no sign of angry canine, still best to be prepared.

Nice site, sort of small and compact. Left quickly as locals appeared to be meeting for large group picnic, not sure of country code or etiquette so left them to it. They had a kid that stared at us in a funny way.

Folklore

Knowlton Henges
Henge
Rhiannon
Rhiannon Mar 30, 2016

“In walking from Blandford to Damerham in September, 1852, I shaped my course by Horton, with a view to seeing Monmouth’s ash on Horton Heath. Having reached the roadside inn, I found that the ash was four miles distant, and not having time to proceed thither, I waited at the inn.

Whilst waiting I saw a small ruined tower at the distance of half-a-mile or so, and, on asking a man, found it was the ruin of Knowlton Church. He also told me that at a very distant period there was a very valuable bell in that tower, so much so that it excited the cupidity of some fellows, who planned to steal it, take it to the coast, and, having crossed the Channel, sell it in France. This, considering the loneliness of the church, could be no very difficult matter; but somehow, after they had got the bell out of the tower, they were discovered, pursued, and overtaken at the bridge of Sturminster Marshall, and, being unable to proceed further with it, they threw it into the Stour and made off.

The Knowlton people let down ropes and pulled it up nearly within reach of hand, when down it went, without there being any apparent reason for the ropes breaking. A second and a third attempt were attended with the same result till, weary and dispirited, they gave it up. The old man said that there was a verse to the effect that
‘All the devils in
Could never pull up Knowlton bell.’ ”

The writer says here that he considered this tale very pointless and incomplete but then found Hutchins’ version:

“There is a tradition current among some of the old people in the village that many years ago the bellringers (or a party) of this village went secretly and removed one of the bells from the old ruined church at Knowlton [...]. They were successful so far, but, as there came a fall of snow during the expedition, they were afraid of being discovered by their tracks, and to baffle pursuit in case of discovery they reversed the shoes of the horses on their return. Arriving at the old bridge of White Mill, which is distant from Sturminster Church about half-a-mile, they sent on two of their party in advance to the village to see that the course was clear. As they were so long gone the remaining party thought something was a miss and that they were discovered, and, suspecting that the people of Knowlton were on their track, they, to dispose of the bell and put it out of sight, threw it into the River Stour, in a deep hole (now called Bell Hole or White Mill Hole). Hence the following doggerel:-
‘Knowlton bell is a-stole
And thrown into White Mill Hole’.”

From the Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History Society vol. 27, 1906. The first story is told by Mr A Reeves, all being part of an article on Church Bells of Dorset by the Rev. Canon Raven.

Folklore

Knowlton Henges
Henge
Rhiannon
Rhiannon Oct 28, 2009

[There was] an old ruined church in the neighbourhood of the farm where he was shepherd. It was roofless, more than half fallen down, and all the standing portion, with the tower, overgrown with old ivy; the building itself stood in the centre of a huge round earth-work and trench, with large barrows on the ground outside the circle. Concerning this church [Caleb] had a wonderful story: its decay and ruin had come about after the great bell in the tower had mysteriously disappeared, stolen one stormy night, it was believed, by the Devil himself. The stolen bell, it was discovered, had been flung into a small river at a distance of some miles from the church, and there in summertime when the water was low, it could be distinctly seen lying half buried in the mud at the bottom. But all the king’s horses and all the king’s men couldn’t pull it out; the Devil, who pulled the other way, was strongest. Eventually some wise person said that a team of white oxen would be able to pull it out, and after much seeking the white oxen were obtained, and thick ropes were tied to the sunken bell, and the cattle were goaded and yelled at, and tugged and strained until the bell came up and was finaly drawn right up to the top of the steep, cliff-like bank of the stream. Then one of the teamsters shouted in triumph, “Now we’ve got out the bell, in spite of all the devils in hell,” and no sooner had he spoken the bold words than the ropes parted, and back tumbled the bell to its old place at the bottom of the river, where it remains to this day. Caleb had once met a man in those parts who assured him that he had seen the bell with his own eyes, lying nearly buried in mud at the bottom of the stream.

From ‘A Shepherd’s Life; impressions of the South Wiltshire downs’ (1921), by WH Hudson.

Folklore

Knowlton Henges
Henge
Rhiannon
Rhiannon Feb 28, 2006

Stukeley was told by local people that there had been seven churches here originally, but that six had vanished entirely.

(mentioned by Westwood and Simpson in ‘Lore of the Land’ 2005 p215)

Miscellaneous

Knowlton Henges
Henge
Chance
Chance May 24, 2014

Details of site on Pastscape

A cluster of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments near Knowlton. The principal features are the henge monuments and the Great Barrow, while a number of round barrows and ring ditches are also focused on the area. Until recently, little fieldwork has been undertaken in the area. Some stray finds of Neolithic date have been reported, while some flint scatters have been examined on the opposite side of the Allen Valley to the monuments. A research programme undertaken by Bournemouth University in 1993-5 included geophysical survey on various monuments in the area as well as some trial excavation at the southern henge (SU 01 SW 101). The monuments in this group are visible on aerial photographs and have been been mapped by EH’s Knowlton Circles Project. See child and associated monument records for details about individual sites. The core of the site is in the care of English Heritage.

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