Chance

(3) Pilsdon Pen Camp, hill-fort (Plate 71), occupies the S.E. end of Pilsdon Pen (909 ft. above O.D.), 1 m. N. of the church. The work consists of an irregularly shaped oval enclosure of 7¾ acres defended, along the contour, by two lines of ramparts and ditches usually with counterscarp-banks. Where the slope is less steep or absent there is an interval between the inner and the outer systems. The lines of the inner ditch on the N.E. side and of the outer ditch on the S.W. side are mutilated by hedge-banks. Except at the N.W. end of the enclosure where there is no appreciable natural fall, the inner rampart would never appear to have been of any great height above the level of the enclosure, in fact the inner scarp is now entirely absent in some portions.

There are now four entrances to the camp exclusive of one or two obviously modern paths over the ramparts. The entrance at the S.E. end, in which the outer defences are set back some distance on each side of the opening, would appear to have been an original entrance. The entrance on the S.W. side has a platform between the inner and outer systems on its S.E. flank. The other two entrances are both at the N. end. The more westerly is modern, but the more easterly is ancient and is masked by a convergence of the defences on both flanks.

At the N. end of the enclosure are two roughly rectangular sinkings with traces of a slight bank running S.E. from the S.E. side of each. It is possible that these sinkings represent an earlier main ditch at this end, the present system being perhaps a remodelling similar to that noted at Abbotsbury. In this connection it may be noted that the main rampart on the N.E. side changes direction sharply opposite these sinkings; on the other hand the outer system, by ignoring this change of direction, would seem to belong to the reconstruction.

Near the middle of the fort is a square enclosure surrounded by a slight bank approximately 25 ft. wide at its base and with traces of a slight external ditch. The bank on the S.W. is apparently formed by a preexisting pillow-mound. Near the middle of this enclosure earlier investigators of the O.S. plainly show a mound. There is now just a suggestion of a very slight circular rise of perhaps about 23 ft. in diam.

Immediately to the E. of this enclosure is a second pillow-mound 107 ft. by 24 ft. There are similar but smaller mounds towards the S.E. end of the enclosure, one 15 yards N.W. of O.S. point 909 ft. is 38 ft. by 21 ft. and 1½ ft. high; the second is 80 yards N.W. of the same point and is 42½ ft. by 22 ft. and 2 ft. high; the third, 80 yards N. of the O.S. point, is 48 ft. by 21 ft. and 2 ft. high. There are also two circular mounds, probably barrows, one 20 yards N.W. of the mound last described and about 49 ft. in diam. and 3 ft. high and the other 40 yards to the S. and 26 ft. in diam. and 1 ft. high. About 55 yards N.W. of O.S. point 909 ft. is a slight circular sinking about 12 ft. in diam.

‘Pilsdon’, in An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Dorset, Volume 1, West (London, 1952), pp. 179-180. British History Online british-history.ac.uk/rchme/dorset/vol1/pp179-180 [accessed 19 March 2016].

Details of Hill Fort on Pastscape

(ST 412013) Camp (NR) (1) Pilsdon Pen hill-fort consists of an irregularly shaped oval enclosure of 7 3/4 acres, defended by two lines of ramparts and ditches usually with counter-scarp banks. When the slope is less steep or absent there is an interval between the inner and outer defences. The lines of the inner ditch on the north-east side and of the outer ditch on the south-west side are mutilated by hedge-banks. Except at the north-west end of the enclosure when there is no appreciable natural fall, the inner rampart appears to have been of no great height above the level of the interior, and in some places is entirely absent. There are now four entrances to the camp. That at the south-east end, where the defences are set back on each side of the opening, appears to be original. The entrance on the south-west side has a platform between the inner and outer systems on its south-east flank. The more westerly of the two entrances at the north end appears to be modern, but the more easterly is ancient and is masked by a convergence of the defences on both flanks. Two roughly rectangular sinkings at the north end of the camp, with slight banks running from them, possibly represent an earlier line of defences at this end. Near the middle of the fort is a square enclosure surrounded by a slight bank about 25ft. wide with traces of an external ditch. On the south-west the bank is apparently formed by a pre-existing pillow-mound (For tumuli and pillow-mounds within the fort area, ST 40 SW 27 and 28). Near the middle of the square enclosure is a slight circular rise about 23 feet in diameter. (2-3) The hillfort consists of a series of strong banks and ditches as shown on 1:2500 plan herewith and is situated in a commanding position with level ground only at the north west end. The description given by the Royal Commission is correct except that a slight inner slope to the inner bank may be traced throughout its course. The rectangular enclosure is surrounded by a bank 10 metres wide and 0.5 metres high with a vague inner and outer quarry ditch. The whole of the south-west side has been destroyed by a later pillow mound (’G’ on plan). Of the original entrances (K, L, M) both ‘L’ and ‘M’ are approached by strong causeways. North-west entrance ‘N’ has a modern causeway across the ditch. (4)
Excavations initiated and supported by the owners of the site, Mr. and Mrs. Pinney of Bettiscombe Manor, were carried out at Pilsdon Pen by P.S. Gelling from 1964 to 1971. Work was concentrated in three areas:-
(1). Earthworks on north-west. These were found to be the remains of abortive defences that were never completed, including a central entrance, a double rampart and a ditch 6 feet deep. It was surmised that they were probably built shortly before the main defences, for which they were a first attempt. A small Roman sherd was found near the gateway.
(2). Occupation Site. On the south side of the camp, opposite the square enclosure, two typical Iron Age round huts were excavated. Finds included a considerable amount of domestic refuse and a fragment of a crucible to which were adhering minute specks of gold.
(3). Square Enclosure. Excavations revealed that there were originally circular huts on the site of the square enclosure. These were replaced by by a timber structure which measured about 180 feet along its north-west side. The beam slots for this building were rectangular in section (unlike the usual U-shaped Iron Age gullies) and seemed to suggest an aisled structure surrounding a central courtyard. Associated with it were two huts of horse-shoe shaped plan with similar sleeper beam slots. Within one of the huts was found a gold coin of Gallo-Belgic XV type, but there was very little domestic debris and no trace of hearths. The rectilinear structure appears to have been demolished after a few decades, and replaced by low banks. Some cobbling was laid in the interior, upon which was found a Roman ballista bolt. On top of the bank was a pit containing nearly 1000 slingstones. The mound shown by the Royal Commission (and O.S. plans) in the centre of the square may represent the south end of a diagonal mound clearly visible on air photographs but not satisfactorily identified during the excavation. It is suggested that the rectilinear and horseshoe structures represent a temple extant between about 80 BC and 40 BC, and ranking as one of the outstanding structures in later British prehistory. The low banks which replaced it about 40 BC are regarded as the token demarcation of a temenos area. The importance of the site is confirmed by the evidence of gold-working. (6-8) Excavation and Mesolithic flints found. (9-10)
ST 412 013. Pilsdon Pen. Listed in gazetteer as a multivallate hillfort covering 3.2ha. (11)
Centred ST 41200130. Pilsdon Pen Hillfort, a well-preserved multivallate fort of Iron Age date.
Partially excavated 1964-1971 by P S Gelling: early defences concluded to be unfinished, hut foundations found in interior, site of temenos discovered (d). Re-excavated and reinstated 1982. Temenous reinterpreted as rabbit warren (e). (12)
A small multivallate Iron Age hillfort located at the southern end of Pilsdon Pen ridge 650 metres south west of Higher Newnham Farm. One of 4 hillforts overlooking the western end of the Marshwood Vale within 10 kilometres, the nearest being 2.5 kilometres east. Within the hillfort are the remains of 2 Late Neolithic to Bronze Age burial mounds, a Medieval cultivation system and a post Medieval rabbit warren. Scheduled. (13)

Details of Barrow on Pastscape

[Group centred SY 54659449] TUMULI [OE] [Twice] TUMULUS [OE] (Site of) (1)
SY 54659456: A bowl barrow; diameter 10 paces, height 3 1/2 ft. (2-6)
One of a group of barrows which are grass covered, but on arable land, and have been ploughed over in recent years.
Barrow B; A grass covered bowl barrow situated against the bank of a disc barrow (HOB uid 1247903). The disc-barrow seems to be later and to have been constructed with deference to the bowl barrow. The mound has a diameter of 9 metres and a height of 1.3 metres with no visible ditch. It has been severely mutilated by rabbits. (8)
Listed as Powerstock 5 by Grinsell. (9)

(19) Group of Barrows, near the N.E. boundary of the parish and ½ m. S.E. of (12), are five in number. The most northerly (a), bowl barrow, is 30 ft. in diam. and ¾ ft. high; (b), bowl barrow, 180 yards S.E. of (a), is 60 ft. in diam. and 3¾ ft. high; (c), bowl barrow, 70 yards S.E. of (b), is 30 ft. in diam. and 1 ft. high; (d), bowl barrow, 20 yards S. of (c), is 30 ft. in diam. and 1 ft. high; (e), 40 yards S.W. of (d), is an oval 46 by 36 ft. and 1½ ft. high.

‘Askerswell’, in An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Dorset, Volume 1, West (London, 1952), pp. 12-15.
British History Online british-history.ac.uk/rchme/dorset/vol1/pp12-15 [accessed 27 March 2016].

Details of Hill Fort on Pastscape

CAMP [OE] (1) Iron Age Hill Fort. (2)
A hillfort consisting of 3 ramparts with 2 medial ditches, except at the N.W. and E. where entrances occur. The N.W. entrance has an additional outer bank, ditch and counterscarp across the ridge, merging into the main line of defence. The entrance is staggered from one line of defence to the next. At the E. end the main rampart is higher than elsewhere, and has an outer ditch and counterscarp bank. The entrance ways are again staggered, and in the outer rampart, inturned. “On the S. side of the hillfort an extensive landslip carried away the whole of the defences on the middle of this face; this was remedied by digging a wide trench in the E. part of the fallen material, and, reinstating the outer ditch and bank below it.” This part of the earthwork does not connect with the earlier defences. A further bank thrown up at the foot of the hill covers roughly the lateral extent of the landslip. Through this bank the diagonal approach to the S.E. entrance turns outwards and southwards. There is no visible evidence that the multiple defences were preceded by a simpler system. Apart from the rebuilding of the S. side, evidence of a structural sequence has been noted at the N.W. end, where the alteration of the position of the outer entrance coincided with the addition of an outer enclosure.
Within the hillfort are 2 large mounds, probably barrows and a number of small irregular mounds. There are traces of banks, perhaps of enclosures, and many hollows, 4 to 5 yds in diameter. In 1900 five of these hollows were excavated, and found to be pits from 5ft. 6ins to 6ft. 8ins deep. In them were found a flint knife, saw, scrapers and numerous flakes (4a). The octagonal enclosure bank within the hillfort is the boundary of a former coppice planted to serve as a sea-mark. (4)
[Additional references]; (5) the floor of the camp is strewn
with pit dwellings; other information similar. (6)
A sherd and a rock hone from Eggardon, presented by Mr W. Butcher, Higher Sturthill, Shipton Gorge. Acc. No. 1954.29. (7)
“Fosses, mounds and pit-circles occur both within and without “the fortifications of the hill-fort,” and one remarkable pit circle consisting of two distinct depressions connected by a common entrance”. (9)
In an early excavation of one of the hut circles a broken quern was found by Mr Prideaux. (10)
Reference to a treble row of depressions, some sixty in number, which existed “behind the top vallum”. The depressions were later destroyed by gravel digging. (11)
[Reference (4)a checked: flints and flakes and pits classified Neolithic; but “no pit is cut by the walls of the camp.“].
Eggardun has at least yielded apparent IA ‘A’ material, though complex defences suggest a sequence of occupations and plans. Its excavators considered it Ne. but this was before the recognition of true Ne. features in either earthwork or pottery. Its pit dwellings are I.A ‘A’ and the associated flint industry occurs elsewhere in I.A. settlements, though the variations of its prevalance have yet to be explained. Invaders from the W – I.A. ‘B’ – perhaps remodelled the hillfort. (12)
This hillfort is well described in TA (4) and depicted in the photo-plan. The O.S. 1/2500 is generally correct; a minor scarp shown on the photo-plan on the S. part of the ramparts (lettered A-B on sheet) appears to be caused by natural soil-creep. The condition of the hillfort is good, with strong multiple banks and ditches and staggered entrances. The area enclosed by the ramparts is ploughed in the N. half, but the S. half is under pasture. Scores of surface depressions (from T4, IA ‘A’ pits) are visible over the surface; these are 3.0m. to 5.0m. in diameter and 0.2 to 0.5m. deep, though less definite where ploughed. No surface finds were made during field investigation.
See APs. ST J/AX 87-9; BZ/63-5 (13)
(A plentiful water supply is available in close proximity to this feature). (14)
The Butcher collection includes several sling stones and some pottery from ploughing 50 yards NW of the rampart (SY 539950). The pottery appears to be Iron Age “A” in character. (15)
From aerial photographs, it appears that the outer rampart on the NE side of the fort was either left incomplete, or slighted after construction. (16)
The site was excavated between 1963 and 1966 by G. Rybot. The linear banks are thought to pre-date the middle-late Iron Age. Excavated pits contained middle-late Iron Age pottery. (17)
Supplementary notes, plan correspondence and photographs. (18)
Sling-stone and part of a rotary quern found at the Western approach to the fort. (19)

(12) Eggardon Camp, hill-fort (Plate 71), partly in Powerstock parish, occupies the summit of a hill 800 ft. high, 1½ m. N.E. of the church. The area is over 20 acres, or nearly 36 acres including the defences but excluding the outwork on the S.W.
The hill-fort has a comparatively level enclosure but the ground falls rapidly on the N.E., S., S.W. and W., though to the E. and N.W. it is nearly level. The defences, except on the E. and N.W., consist of three ramparts with two medial ditches; on the W., N.E. and E. sides there is an open area of varying width between the two outer lines. At the N.W. and E. ends, where the ground is practically level and the two entrances to the camp are situated, a different treatment is adopted. The former has an additional outer line of rampart, ditch and counterscarp bank, across the back of the ridge and merging into the main outer line of defence. As will be seen from the plan the entrances through these ramparts are so arranged as to traverse the defences diagonally. There are two entrances through the middle rampart; the central entrance has an inturn on the N. side but the ditch has been cut through in front of it, probably when the second entrance to the N. was formed. This entrance is approached by a sunk track along the edge of the ridge to the N.W. The outermost line is stopped short of this approach and is therefore presumably an addition to the plan, contemporary with the building or extension of the outermost rampart on both sides of the ridge.
At the E. end, the main rampart is higher than elsewhere and has an outer ditch and a slight counterscarp bank. The entrance through the outer line is in the S.E. angle and is flanked by inturned ramparts. Here also the entrances are made to traverse the defences diagonally, additional strength being obtained by the formation of two ramparts with a medial ditch across the enclosure between the two systems. The outer entrance was approached both from the ridge and also by a diagonal track up the S. escarpment of the hill; where this track approaches the entrance it is screened by a short length of outer bank and ditch. On the S. side of the fort an extensive landslip carried away the whole of the defences on the middle of this face; this was remedied by digging a wide ditch in the eastern part of the fallen material and reinstating the outer ditch and bank below it. Neither of these works, however, being at a lower level, make connection with the earlier defences. As part of the same work a further bank was thrown up at the foot of the hill and covering roughly the same lateral extent as the landslip. Through this bank the diagonal approach to the S.E. entrance turns outwards and southwards.
Although no reconstruction of the history of the site is possible without further excavation, evidence of a structural sequence has been noted both at the N.W. end and on the S.Side. In the case of the former, the alteration of the position of the outer entrance coincided with the addition of an outer enclosure. On the S. side, the rebuilding of much of the outer defences, due to the landslip, doubtless explains the presence of the unusual outer line of considerable strength in the valley below it. There is no visible evidence that the multiple defences were preceded by a simpler system.
Within the enclosure are two large mounds, probably barrows, that marked ” A ” on plan having a diameter of 42 ft. and a height of about 2 ft.; while mound “B” has a diameter of about 42 ft. and a height of 4½ ft. Both have been considerably damaged. There are also a number of small somewhat irregular mounds. Their dimensions are as follows:—(1) disturbed in centre, diam. 23 ft., height 9 in. (2) irregular oval 6 ft. by 5 ft., 6 in. high, possibly natural. (3) oval, diams. 6 ft.by 5½ ft., height about 8 in. (4) roughly circular, 12 ft. diam., height about 9 in. (5) roughly circular, 10½ ft. diam., height about 9 in. (6) rectangular, 19½ ft. by 9 ft., height about 9 in. (7) rectangular, 45 ft. by 9 ft. and 1 ft. high, possibly a portion of a bank. There are also, where shown on plan, traces of banks, perhaps of former enclosures, but they are now somewhat fragmentary and it is impossible to say whether they are original. It is perhaps significant that, as far as can now be seen these banks do not appear to impinge on any trace of a pit.
The small octagonal enclosure, surrounded by a slight bank, some 50 yards from the S.W. rampart, is modern. It represents the site of a former coppice planted to serve as a sea-mark.
The whole floor of the main enclosure is pitted with shallow cup-like hollows in the turf about 4 to 5 yards in diam. Generally speaking, there is no trace of their having been arranged on any direct system beyond the fact that they appear to have been kept clear of the central trackway joining the two entrances. This observation must, however, be qualified by the fact that a modern trackway runs on this line.
During 1900 five of these hollows were excavated (Dr. Colley March, Proc. Soc. Ant.,XVIII, p. 258). They were pits varying in depth from 5 ft. 6 in. to 6 ft. 8 in. In them were found: a flint knife, flint saw, scrapers and numerous flakes, etc.
The ridge on which the camp stands narrows, until it ceases in a rapid fall about 600 yards N.W. of the camp. On the top of this ridge about ¼ mile from the outermost rampart of the camp and a few yards N.W. of the O.S. Trig. point is a slight sinking of about 5 yards diam. and 2½ ft. deep with slight encircling bank. About 20 yards W. of this is a rough transverse ditch across the top of the ridge which here is only about 23 yards in width, with an internal and external bank.

‘Askerswell’, in An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Dorset, Volume 1, West (London, 1952), pp. 12-15. British History Online british-history.ac.uk/rchme/dorset/vol1/pp12-15

(57) The Nine Stones stone circle (SY 69 SW; 61079043; Fig. p. 514, Plate 211), stands immediately S. of the Bridport road 850 yds. W. of the church in an enclosure just inside Nine Stone Wood. The site is level at 345 ft. above O.D. on the S. edge of a narrow valley floor. The subsoil is apparently river gravel with Upper Chalk adjacent to the S.

The stones, all sarsens, are arranged in a rough circle with internal diameters of about 27½ ft. (N. to S.) and 23½ ft. (W. to E.). Though they are irregularly spaced, a gap to the N. is almost twice as wide as any other gap. Seven of the stones are small and low, from about 1 ft. to 2½ ft. high. Two are more massive: (a) is 7 ft. high and its elongated form recalls the ‘A’ stones in the Kennet Avenue near Avebury, Wilts.; (b), a large slab, 6 ft. high and 6 ft. across at the base, is like the ‘B’ stones in the same Avenue (cf. Antiquity x (1936), 420).

Aubrey recorded only nine stones, as did Hutchins in 1768; but Warne alleged traces of a tenth to the N.E., presumably in the wide gap. Stukeley’s drawing of 1723 shows the circle in the same state as at present and nothing could be seen of any additional stone in 1936. (S. and C. M. Piggott, Antiquity XIII (1939), 146, with facsimile of Aubrey’s MS. notes as pl. I; J. Hutchins, History of Dorset II, 196, and Gentleman’s Magazine (1768), 112–3, letter signed J. H.; C. Warne, Ancient Dorset (1872), 117–8; J. Stukeley, Itinerarium Curiosum II (1724), tab. 92, which has been wrongly identified as showing a site in Winterbourne Monkton, Wilts.) The site is a guardianship monument of the Ministry of Public Building and Works and is No. 149 on the O.S. Map of Neolithic Wessex.

‘Stones’, in An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Dorset, Volume 2, South east (London, 1970), pp. 512-515. British History Online british-history.ac.uk/rchme/dorset/vol2/pp512-515

(33) The Hell Stone, Neolithic chambered long barrow (SY 68 NW; 60588670; Plate 208), is situated on Portesham Hill, over 600 ft. above O.D., on the summit of the S.-facing limestone escarpment which here forms a flat-topped ridge running N.W.-S.E.; the ground falls steeply on the S.W. to a re-entrant and less steeply on the N.E. to a dry valley. The long mound is aligned along the ridge (130°), with a reconstructed stone chamber exposed at the S.E. end.
The much-damaged mound is at least 88 ft. long and up to 40 ft. wide, tapering slightly to N.W.; it is of rounded crossprofile and rises to a maximum height of 5 ft. near the chamber, but further S.E. it is much disturbed and at most 2 ft. high. The chamber, incorrectly rebuilt in 1866, now consists of nine orthostats, up to 5¾ ft. high and from 1¼ ft. to 1¾ ft. thick, supporting a roughly oval capstone, 10 ft. by 8 ft. and averaging just over 2 ft. thick. Smaller stones embedded in the mound in front of the chamber may represent a former peristalith, probably not continuous. The stones are sarsen of Bagshot age, a hard Tertiary conglomerate containing flint gravel. A drawing of 1790 by S. H. Grimm (B.M. Add. MS. 15538; reproduced on Plate 208) shows the capstone supported by one or two orthostats and tilting to the S., with another orthostat to the N. and recumbent stones to S. and S.W.; Hutchins, who published a similar illustration (II, facing 759), states that the arrangement of the stones was partly due to shepherds who used the chamber as a shelter (1st edn. (1774), I, 554). Nevertheless the stones clearly represent an original chamber, and the Hell Stone is comparable to the ‘Grey Mare and her Colts’, less than 1½ miles to the W. on the same ridge (S. Piggott, Dorset Procs. LXVII (1945), 30–3; Dorset I, Long Bredy (15)).
The barrow is now crossed by a stone wall running N.-S., to E. of which it has been disturbed by digging. Ploughing has encroached on the mound, and air photographs (CPE/UK 1824, 3291) suggest that it was used as a ‘Celtic’ field boundary (see Ancient Field Group (5)).
(C. Warne, Ancient Dorset (1872), 135 and Pl. XXIII; Dorset Procs. XXIX (1908), lxxv-lxxviii.)

‘Earthworks: Long Barrows’, in An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Dorset, Volume 2, South east (London, 1970), pp. 431-433. British History Online british-history.ac.uk/rchme/dorset/vol2/pp431-433 [accessed 28 March 2016].

(27) The Harpstone (SY 98 SW; 92168058; Plate 217), monolith, of limestone, stands 1,180 yds. E.S.E. of St. Michael’s Church, on the bank of a small stream and just inside the W. edge of Hurpston Coppice on ground falling gently N. to the Corfe River in the marshy valley bottom. It is 7¼ ft. high with a jagged and uneven top and has a maximum width of 3¾ ft. E.-W. and 3 ft. N.-S. The four faces are largely disfigured by vertical grooves and hollows, the result of weathering. Its origin is unknown. The place-name Herpston (1340) may refer to the stone, which stands on the bank between Herpston and Hyde manors and flanks the ancient road from Creech to Kimmeridge. (Hutchins I, 609; Fägersten, 136.)

‘Stones’, in An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Dorset, Volume 2, South east (London, 1970), pp. 512-515. British History Online british-history.ac.uk/rchme/dorset/vol2/pp512-515

(56) The Broad Stone (SY 59 SE; 59549040; Plate 217), a large sarsen boulder, lies half-buried in the scarp falling from the S. verge of the Bridport Road 2530 yds. W. of Winterbourne Abbas Church. It is approximately 9 ft. long, 4 ft. wide and 2 ft. thick with the long axis E. to W. and a pointed E. end. All markings appear to be natural. (Hutchins II, 196.)

‘Stones’, in An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Dorset, Volume 2, South east (London, 1970), pp. 512-515.

Details of Hill Fort on Pastscape

Abbotsbury Castle on Wears Hill, 700’ above OD. Internal area 4.5 acres, total area covered about 10 acres. The enclosure occupies part of the top of a ridge and is of roughly triangular form. The N, S and E sides are defended by two ramparts with a medieval ditch following the natural contours. At the SE end the defences consist of four ramparts of which the innermost, now of slight elevation appears to mark the original end of a single-ditched camp of the type associated with Iron Age ‘A’. This early rampart was superceded by a new bank, raised outside and largely obliterating the early ditch, and
supplemented by two new ditches, forming a complex characteristic of the Iron Age ‘B’. At the W end there appears to have been an enlargement of the defences, but here the most notable addition is a small enclosure of squarish plan, with a ditch cutting through the main ramparts of the camp. It has been conjectured to be a Roman signal post, but there is no evidence [RCHM survey plan and sections]. (1) SY544866 Excavations at the south west corner of Abbotsbury Castle Hill-fort proved that a Roman Signal Station was not present (2-4)

Details of Long Barrow on Pastscape

Tumulus. The Grey Mare and her Colts. (Cromlech) (NR) (1) Grey Mare and her Colts. Long Barrow. Neolithic. (SY 58388706) (2)
The Grey Mare and Colts at Gorwell, is a megalithic chambered long cairn. The site consists of a cairn, chamber, facade and peristalith. The cairn is of elongated egg form, 75’ long overall and 45’ wide at the SE and 4’ above the surrounding ground at the same end. There is no sign of any ditches. The chamber, (at the wide SE end) now consists of upright stones forming three sides of a rectangular space, with a capstone (7’ x 5’) originally covering this, but now slipped sideways obscuring the fourth side of the chamber. (The front stone stands higher than the covering). The axis lies NW-SE and the outer SE wall is formed by a very large slab 61/2” wide, and standing 6’ above the cairn material. The two other stones on the SW & W show only a foot or so above the ground. It is seven feet long internally. There are the visible remains of a shallow crescentic forecourt setting or facade of standing stones (about 5’ high, 5’ wide) with its central stone covering the front of the chamber, with an overall width along the chord of the facade of 35’ and with a depth of arc about seven feet. Only two stones now remain of the peristalith near the SE end, showing a foot above ground. The Grey Mare and Colts (with Hell Stone) provides the most easterly members of the Zennor Group of megalithic culture. (3) Careful and detailed account with notes and measurements of each stone. (4) Long barrow : length 80ft; width 45ft; height 4ft. Orientated SE/NW. “Neolithic Wessex” No.142. A burial chamber with possible crescentic forecourt at SE, and traces of peristalith. Opened early in 19th century; many human bones and some pottery found (5). Long Barrow (NR) (The Grey Mare and her Colts). (8)
The ruined chamber is set at the E end of a mound 27.0m long and with a maximum width of 12.0m. The mound is orientated
WNW-ESE, and has an average height of 1.6m. There are no visible side ditches. General description in Authy 3 correct,
and the plan shown in Authy 6. The mound has been trampled by cattle but has not been disturbed by ploughing or other
agricultural operations. (9)
The Grey Mare and Her Colts lies at SY 5838 8706 the head of a dry valley which runs down to Gorwell in the valley of the headwaters of the River Bride. The monument is a well preserved example of a chambered long barrow. It comprises a rectangular mound, orientated NW-SE and 24m long. The mound tapers in width from the southeast end (13m) to the northwest end (8m). The mound is highest at the southeast (1m) and drops to 0.4m at the northwest. The southeast end terminates in a row of four massive sarsens, three are upright, one, at the northeast end, is recumbent. A fifth sarsen, now recumbent at the southwest end of the row, is likely to be that depicted on an 18th-century engraving in Hutchins? History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset, as upright at the southwest corner of the mound. Behind the sarsen stones, recumbent on the edge of the mound, is a fifth massive sarsen, probably the capstone of the collapsed chamber. The slight scarp to the southeast of the end of the mound is probably the result of ploughing, a process which has presumably obliterated the quarry ditches for the mound. Several stones set into the edge of the mound are probably the remains of a retaining kerb. The ledge at the northwest end of the mound was caused by a hedge, now removed, but depicted on the 18th-century engravingand two hollows on the top of the mound may represent the remains of antiquarian excavations carried out in the early 19th century (authy 5) (10)
The site was surveyed using EDM at a scale of 1: 200 as part of a survey of the long barrows on the South Dorset Ridgeway carried out by English Heritage and the Ridgeway Survey Group (11)

Details of cemetery on Pastscape

Winterbourne Poor Lot is a large Bronze Age round barrow cemetery, comprising a number of different types including bell barrows, disc barrows and bowl barrows, along with a possible hut circle. The dispersed cemetery is unusually situated within a valley bottom, split on each side by the A35 main road, and is believed to contain at least 44 barrows. Many of the barrows have suffered plough damage and some are no longer visible. The cemetery itself is clearly visible from the chalk ridges to the north and south, where further groups of barrows are known to survive. The core of the cemetery is situated within an area of 3 hectares on a natural terrace in the hillside, close to the bottom of the valley. Many of the barrows within this group are inter-visible and individual settings suggest that they were carefully located to provide views other neighbouring barrow groups. These bowl barrows have mounds composed of earth, flint and chalk. Each is surrounded by a ditch, which was used to gather material for construction of the barrows, though some of these ditches have since become infilled. The largest barrow in this group measures about 35 metres in diameter and 2.5 metres in height. The barrow cemetery is crossed by a parish boundary between Kingston Russell and Winterbourne Abbas. There are traces of old field banks running parallel to the modern field boundary within the south western area of the cemetery. At least two of the barrows were excavated by R. J. C. Atkinson between 1952 and 1953. One of these barrows (referred to as ‘Barrow G’) had a ring bank enclosing a circle of 8 small pits, covered by a flint pavement 22 feet in diameter which extended as a pathway through the entrance on the south east side. This was flanked by a pair of pits. Winterbourne Poor Lot barrows are now in the care of English Heritage.

Details of Stone Circle on Pastscape

(SY 57788782) Stone Circle (NR) (1)
Called Kingston Russell circle. Stones of sarsen with many flints and water worn pebbles (one at least quartize), a
conglomerate – all are prone. (2) Kingston Russell Stone Circle consists of eighteen fallen
conglomerate (5) or sarsen (4) stones, the largest of which is about 8 feet long forming an irregular oval 80 feet by 91 feet (5) or 80 feet by 60 feet (4). In 1815 one stone to the south was still standing. The circle appears to retain its full number of stones although many of them may not be in their true positions. Listed as especially worthy of preservation (5).
Two stones of a similar kind to those comprising the circle lie by the side of an adjoining fence (see SY 58 NE 7). (3-5)
A newly erected notice at the site consists of a Ministry of Works plate with the name Kingston Russell Stone Circle. There are eighteen stones, one small one in addition to those on the OS 1:2500 and all are as depicted on Authority 5’s plan. All the stones, of conglomerate and sarsen, are prone. The circle is situated upon downland. (6)
At Kingston Russell Circle there were originally between fourteen and eighteen stones around the circumference of a ring 91 feet in diameter but it is now impossible to decide which of the fragments are bases and which are broken upper parts. Although it cannot be certain it seems that this ring was graded in height with the tallest stones at the north. A stone is supposed to have been added to the ring in recent years. Kingston Russell Stone Circle scheduled and under Guardianship. (7) An account of the stone circle as it was in 1815, at which time only one stone was standing, the ‘rest being thrown down’. (8) Large irregular stone circle of Late Neolithic or Bronze Age date, consisting of eighteen fallen conglomerate or sarsen stones situated on a chalk ridge 750 metres north east of Gorwell Farm. The circle appears to retain its full number of stones, although many of them may not be in their original positions. Two stones of a similar kind to those comprising the circle lie by the side of an adjoining fence (see SY 58 NE 7). The circle has a diameter of 30 metres and has 18 visible stones. The stones vary in size from 2 metres by 0.5 metres to 1 metre by 0.3 metres, although partial burial may mean some of the stones are significantly larger. Scheduled. (9)

Details of The Nine Stones on Pastscape

(SY 61079043) The Nine Stones (NAT) Stone Circle (NR). (1)
The Nine Stones Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age (SY 61079043) stands immediately S of the Bridport road 850 yds W of the church in an enclosure just inside Nine Stone Wood. The site is level at 345 ft above OD on the S edge of a narrow valley floor. The subsoil is apparently river gravel with Upper Chalk adjacent to the S.
The stones, all sarsens, are arranged in a rough circle with internal diameters of about 27 1/2 ft (N to S) and 23 1/2 ft (W to E). Though they are irregularly spaced, a gap to the N is almost twice as wide as any other gap. Seven of the stones are small and low, from about 1 ft to 2 1/2 ft high. Two are more massive: (a) is 7 ft high and its elongated form recalls the ‘A’ stones in the Kennet Avenue near Avebury, Wilts; (b) a large slab, 6 ft high and 6 ft across at the base, is like the ‘B’ stones in the same Avenue (cf Antiquity X (1936), 420).
Aubrey recorded only nine stones, as did Hutchins in 1768; but Warne alleged traces of a tenth to the NE, presumably in the wide gap. Stukeley’s drawing of 1723 shows the circle in the same state as at present and nothing could be seen of any additional stone in 1936. (S and C M Piggott, Antiquity XIII (1939), 146, with facsimile of Aubrey’s MS notes as pl I; J Hutchins, History of Dorset 11, 196, and Gentleman’s Magazine (1768) 112-3, letter signed J H; C Warne, Ancient Dorset (1872), 117-8; J Stukeley, Itinerarium Curiosum II (1742), tab 92, which has been wrongly identified as showing a site in Winterbourne Monkton, Wilts). The site is a guardianship monument of the Ministry of Public Building and Works and is No 149 on the OS Map of Neolithic Wessex. (2)
‘The Nine Stones’ (name on Ministry notice board) remain as described by RCHM. Re-surveyed at 1:2500 on M.S.D. (3)
A late Neolithic/Bronze Age stone circle. The stones are of sarsen or conglomerate and have been arranged in a rough circle. They are irregularly spaced, a gap to the north is almost twice as wide as any other gaps. Seven of the stones are small and low, two are larger. Traces of a tenth stone have been alleged, presumably in the wide gap. Scheduled. (1-3)
The Nine Stones is a late Neolithic or early Bronze Age stone circle. It is located immediately south of the A35 Bridport road, just outside the village of Winterbourne Abbas in an enclosure within Nine Stone Wood. This is situated in a valley bottom close to the South Winterbourne stream. The stones are of sarsen or conglomerate and have been arranged in a rough circle with maximum internal diameter of 8 metres. The circle was first recorded in the 18th century by J. Aubrey, W. Stukeley and W. Hutchins and has seen little change since. The stones measure between 1.5 metres to 0.5 metre in diameter and 1.5 metres to 0.45 metres in height. However all the stones are partially buried and their exact dimensions are not know. Two stones, situated within the northern and western areas of the monument, are notably larger than the rest. The Nine Stones are spaced at about one metre intervals however there is a gap of 3 metres on the northern side, which may be a possible entrance. It was alleged in 1872 by C. Warne that there was originally traces of a tenth stone, which may have filled this gap. However on W. Stukeley’s drawing of 1723 the circle is in the same state as at present. The Nine Stones is one of only four stone circles known to survive within the area, and it’s location in a valley bottom is unusual. (1-5)
‘The 17th century antiquarian John Aubrey described another circle about half a mile to the west but this has since been destroyed, although a fallen 2 metre stone known as the Broad Stone lies semi-buried beside the road about a mile to the west.’ (6) Five of the stones suffered damage from graffiti in the form of white paint in 2007. (7)