This is a stunning place and a real rarity, most of the bank barrows in the country lay along the south Dorset ridgeway, of which this is a part. At the field margins and where a round barrow gets close to it's northern side , signs of a ditch can be seen. From the top of the bank the Bincombe bumps set of round barrows can be seen on the southern horizon. To the east there are various round barrows and immediately south is Chalbury hilfort.The island of Portland looms large in Weymouth bay as it does from most of the ancient sites along the ridgeway of Dorset.
Now this is a barrow! I've just got to walk the length of this thing, and
I am rewarded when I reach the other end and a deer springs out from behind one the two round barrows that sit next to each other just to the North of this incredible monument.
She runs through the crops to the hedge while I stand, exalted, snapping away like a madman, trying to capture a moment I should just be in, but I suppose that is the modern condition!
These 2 north flanking barrows aren't shown on the OS map, but the round barrows at both ends are. The road runs between the east end of the bank and the round barrow at that end. This is Chalky Road, which interestingly runs straight up to Broadmayne and the stones/ earthworks there.
Looking around:
Barrows, Barrows everywhere!
An important spot,
I think.
[visited 26/3/5] I started the day by scanning the dorset map for barrows and I found this, my third Bank Barrow. There are apparently only 3 left in a decent condition anyway so beyond ripples in the mud, this may well be it. Surfice to say I wasn't disapointed, its another riproarer, a giant amongst little people. Standing proud on the dorset ridgeway, with beautiful 360degree views and so many round barrows paying tribute to it.
The really nice thing about this is it seems to be complete, I don't think the road builders chopped a bit off the end and fortunately any ploughing hasn't reduced it beyond amazing levels. Comparing it with the other brutes in Dorset, it didn't seem as large as long bredy but was definately larger than Black Down.
Access is good as a road goes straight past the field this is in and tbh you get a great view of its hugeness from the road.