Milborne St. Andrew

An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Dorset, Volume 3, Central. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1970.

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'Milborne St. Andrew', in An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Dorset, Volume 3, Central, (London, 1970) pp. 175-182. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/rchme/dorset/vol3/pp175-182 [accessed 17 March 2024]

In this section

33 MILBORNE ST. ANDREW (8097)

(O.S. 6 ins. SY 79 NE, SY 89 NW)

Milborne St. Andrew, covering 2,600 acres, lies entirely on Chalk and is drained by the Milborne Brook, which flows from N. to S. through the middle of the parish. The S.E. part, called Milborne Stileham, was formerly part of Bere Regis; ecclesiastically it was united with St. Andrew at the end of the 19th century, but the two districts remained separate civil parishes until 1933.

The history of settlement is complex and obscure. The former St. Andrew's parish probably comprises two distinct original settlements, Deverel and St. Andrew, located respectively N. and S. of the road from Blandford to Dorchester, the former on both sides of the brook, the latter on the W. side only; Stileham may also have originated as two separate settlements. Traces of the former settlements are found to the N.W., N.E. and S. of the present village; their outlying closes were abandoned as habitation tended to coalesce into a single village at the point where the road crosses the brook.

The most important monument in the parish is Weatherby Castle, an Iron Age Hill-fort with multiple defences; Deverel Barrow is notable for the important discoveries made there in the 19th century although little of it survives today. The parish church has a notable 12th-century doorway.

Ecclesiastical

(1) The Parish Church of St. Andrew stands in the S. of the village. The walls are of flint and stone with ashlar dressings; the roofs are tiled. The Nave dates from about the middle of the 12th century; it has a fine S. doorway of that date, and a contemporary chancel arch, now reset in the N. Vestry. The E. window of the chancel is of the early 13th century, but it has been restored and reset, the Chancel having been to a very large extent rebuilt in 1876 (faculty petition, Salisbury Diocesan Archives). The South Porch and the West Tower are of the late 15th century. The North Transept was built in 1855 (faculty, loc. cit.) and the North Aisle and North Vestry were added in 1876.

The church is noteworthy for the S. doorway, the font and the former chancel arch, all of which date from the 12th century; there is also a small 15th-century canopied table-tomb.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (22½ ft. by 15½ ft.) has a reset 13th-century E. window of three gradated lancet lights with labels and head-stops, and internal shafts with moulded capitals; the rear-arch is of 1876. The N. wall has two 19th-century archways and the S. wall has two windows of the same period, but the masonry below the window sills is partly mediaeval. The chancel arch is of 1876. The original chancel arch, reset in the W. wall of the N. Vestry and partly restored, has a two-centred head, of one moulded order with chevron ornament on the W. face; each respond has two angle shafts with moulded bases, carved and scalloped caps, and moulded and enriched abaci. The Nave (38 ft. by 19½ ft.) has a 19th-century N. arcade. In the S. wall are two windows; that to the E. is of the early 16th century, with three four-centred lights in a square-headed casement-moulded surround with a moulded label and square stops; that to the W. is of 1876. The S. doorway (Plate 10), of the mid 12th century with some restoration, has shafted jambs with carved caps and vertical bands of chevron ornament flanking the shafts; the arch is of one semicircular order with chevron ornament and has a label with nail-head enrichment; below is a segmental tympanum arch, also with chevron ornament. The doorway is of white Purbeck stone except for the shafts and alternate voussoirs, which are of Ham Hill stone.

The West Tower (10 ft. by 7 ft.) is of two stages, with diagonal buttresses of three weathered stages in the lower stage only; the plinth is hollow-chamfered, the stages of the tower are divided by a weathered string-course and at the top, above a weathered and hollow-chamfered string-course, is an embattled parapet with weathered coping. The tower arch is two-centred and of two wave-moulded orders; the inner order dies into the responds at the springing and the outer order continues on the responds. The vice turret, on the N., is polygonal and has string-courses continuous with those of the tower; the vice doorway has a hollow-chamfered segmental-pointed head with continuous jambs and broach stops; the vice is lit by three chamfered loops. The W. window, in the lower stage, is of 1876. High up in the S. side of the lower stage is a window of one light with a segmental head. In the upper stage, the bell-chamber has in each wall a window of two cinquefoil-headed two-centred lights with vertical tracery under a two-centred head with a label. The South Porch is of the late 15th century and has an archway with a moulded two-centred head and continuous jambs.

Milborne St. Andrew, the Parish Church of St. Andrew

The nave has a 15th-century wagon Roof with seven archbraced transverse members moulded on the underside and three similarly moulded longitudinal members, forming six bays, each of four panels; the former plaster background has been removed and the moulded members have been restored. At the intersections of the moulded members are 15th-century wooden bosses with foliate enrichment, some with colour. The embattled wall-plate cornice is of 1876.

Fittings—Bells: five, 1st by John Wallis, inscribed 'Cal upon God, I.W., 1622', 2nd inscribed 'Anno Domini 1616, E.G.H.', others recast or modern. Brass and Indents: see monument (1). Candelabrum: In N. aisle, of brass, with large lower ball, four, originally six, scrolled radial sconce brackets, two small upper balls with radial scrolls, and dove finial at top; lower ball inscribed 'Given to the parish church of Milborne St. Andrews by John Gould Esqr. anno dom. 1712', with arms of Gould impaling Jewe; fitting hangs from roof on twisted iron rods hooked and linked together. Chairs: In chancel, two; one with turned front legs, shaped arms and panelled back with cresting carved with fleur-de-lis and date 1670; another with turned front legs, shaped arms, panelled and enriched back with semicircular carved cresting, late 17th century. Communion Table: In vestry, with turned legs and moulded rails, late 17th or early 18th century. Font: In N. aisle, of tub form, with heavy roll moulding at top flanked by two bands of cable ornament, vertical scallop ornament at base, 12th century; ogee-moulded plinth later.

Monuments and Floor-slab. Monuments: In chancel, reset on N. wall, (1) of John Morton, 1527, small canopied mural table-tomb of Purbeck marble, tomb-chest with cusped quatrefoil panels enclosing blank shields and alternating with narrow cinquefoil-headed panels; on top slab, indent for small brass figure; canopy supported on octagonal shafts with concave sides, joined to back wall by Purbeck marble side screens with trefoil-headed panelling in two heights; soffit of canopy with curvilinear tracery; in front of canopy, moulded flat arch with rounded springings; above, enriched cornice and blind brattishing; on back wall of recess, brass plate (20 ins. by 3½ ins.) with inscription in raised black-letter 'Here lieth John Morton Esquyer son of Richard Morton and Luce his wife, which John decessed the xxvi day of January, the xviii yere of ye rayne of King Henry the viii on whose soul Jh'u have m'cy.'; also indents for brasses of kneeling figures of man and wife, group of children, scrolls, Trinity, square centre plate, and four shields. In vestry, on E. wall, (2) of Edmund Pleydell, 1726, marble tablet with Roman Doric side-columns, pediment and cartouche-of-arms; (3) of John Morton Stuart, 1840 and James William Stuart, 1850, marble tablet; (4) of Mary Sophia (Pleydell), wife of Rev. George Frome, 1827, oval marble tablet with representation of sarcophagus and palm tree in relief, by J. Harris, Bath; (5) of Anne (Luttrell) Pleydell, 1820, tablet; (6) of Edmund Morton Pleydell, 1754, and his wife Deborah, 1740, marble tablet with Ionic side-columns, vases and cartouche-of-arms. In vestry on N. wall, (7) of Archibald Stuart, 1832, and Cornelia his wife, 1830, marble tablet with crest, by Reeves of Bath; (8) of Rev. George Gray Stuart, 1835, marble tablet by Marshall of Blandford; (9) of Sir John Morton, 1698, erected by Elizabeth (Culme) his wife, white and grey marble wall-monument with Corinthian side-columns, broken pediment, vase, cherubs and achievement-of-arms of Morton impaling Culme. In vestry, on W. wall, (10) of Cornelia Pleydell, 1844, tablet; (11) of Anne, 1799, Edmund, 1811, and Marcia Pleydell, 1816, marble tablet; (12) of William Morton Pleydell, 1824, marble tablet with arms. In nave, on W. wall, (13) of Edmund Morton Pleydell, 1794, marble wall-monument with urns, sarcophagus and arms; (14) of John Morton Pleydell, 1705, white marble tablet with carved side-pilasters, cornice, broken pediment and arms of Pleydell quartering Morton; on S. wall, (15) of Elizabeth Margaretta, 1825, and Edmund Morton Pleydell, 1835, oval marble tablet with wreath enrichment, small sarcophagus and arms, by Tyler of Bristol. In tower, on N. wall, (16) of Richard Comyns Cole, 1838, marble tablet with arms; (17) of John Cole, 1790, Rachel (Freke) his wife, 1772, and eight children, marble tablet with arms, by E. Coffin, London; on S. wall, (18) of Judeth (Cole) Gould, 1684, stone and slate wall-monument with carved apron and scroll-work, restored 1839. In churchyard, leaning against S.E. corner of chancel, (19) of Joseph Samplon, 1706, headstone; 10 paces S.W. of tower, (20) of John Holway, 1690, headstone; (21) of Roger …, 1703, headstone. Floor-slab: In vestry, of Elizabeth (Culme) Morton, 1705, polished black marble slab with Latin inscription and arms of Morton impaling Culme.

Piscina: In chancel, reset in S. wall, with restored trefoil head, chamfered jambs and circular basin with drain, 13th-century. Royal Arms: In N. aisle, in wooden surround, painted arms of George III. Sundials: Over archway of S. porch, square raised panel; on S.E. angle of nave, scratch-dial. Miscellanea: In nave, hanging from wall-plate cornices, six wooden cartouches with enriched surrounds, late 17th or early 18th century, with arms as follows: N. side, (i) Morton with baronet's inescutcheon impaling Fountain, (ii) Morton impaling Holloway, (iii) Morton with baronet's inescutcheon impaling Culme; S. side (i) Morton with baronet's inescutcheon, (ii) Morton, (iii) Morton impaling another coat, probably Hopton wrongly coloured. Loose in tower, similar cartouche-of-arms of Morton impaling De la Lynde; also small carved helm. On lead roof of tower, inscription, 'John Roberts, C.W., 1768'.

Secular

(2) Obelisk (80709629), on Weatherby Castle mound, ¾ m. S.E. of the church, is of brick with ashlar dressings (Plate 67). At the base is a rectangular brick plinth with ashlar quoins and a moulded ashlar capping. The tapering shaft is wholly of brick. At the summit are three courses of ashlar, profiled to form a pedestal for a ball finial of copper. A stone in the plinth is inscribed 'EMP 1761', presumably for Edmund Morton Pleydell.

(3) Manor Farm (80249714), house, 300 yds. S.E. of the church, is of two storeys with attics and has walls partly of brick and partly rendered, and roofs which are tiled in the upper part and stone-slated below. The plan is a half-H with the recess turned westwards. Hutchins (II, 598), referring to Milborne House, the seat of the Morton and Morton Pleydell family from the 15th to the 19th century, describes and illustrates a three-storied stone-fronted mansion, probably of the first half of the 17th century, with its main front turned S., as is shown by the stretch of water in front, the bed of which still remains. This house was improved and repaired in 1729 and was dismantled in 1802. The present farmhouse stands on the site of Milborne House and probably incorporates part of it.

The present S. front is rendered and of three bays, with a central doorway, sashed windows on either side and three corresponding openings on the first floor; it appears to be of the early 19th century. A plat-band occurs between the storeys. On the W. front the recessed three-bay central part has a central doorway with a moulded stone architrave of the early 18th century, masked by a later ground-floor addition; on the first floor are modern casement windows. The projecting wings to N. and S. have single W. windows on the ground floor only. On the E. front the first-floor windows have early 18th-century two-light casements with wooden frames and mullions. In the middle of the E. front, a projecting external chimney-breast supports a square brick chimney-stack with panelled sides; a similar stack rises from the ridge of the N. wing; these stacks are probably of the 18th century. The interior of the house appears to be entirely of the early 19th century and later, except for some 18th-century chamfered ceiling beams, possibly reused.

Ashlar Gate Piers (80189727), 100 yds. N.W. of the house, are probably of the late 17th century and have rusticated shafts with moulded plinths and cornices. To N. and E. of the house are extensive 18th-century Walled Gardens and to the S.E. is a 17th-century Barn with brick walls and a tiled roof.

(4) Cottage (80339729), 250 yds. E. of the church, has cob walls and a thatched roof; it is of one storey with an attic and is probably of the late 16th or early 17th century. The ground floor has two rooms with a later extension to the E. The W. room is heated by a very large fireplace in the W. gable wall. A chamfered ceiling beam in the E. room extends over the E. extension.

(5) Cottage (80179764), 260 yds. N. of the church, is two-storied and has cob walls above a brick and flint plinth, and a thatched roof. It is probably of the late 16th or early 17th century. The original plan was a row of three rooms facing E., the middle room being heated by a large fireplace on the S. Against the S. side of the chimney-stack is another fireplace, smaller than the first, perhaps secondary, and with an 18th-century marble surround; to the W. of the chimney-breast is a winding stair. The unheated N. room is separated from the middle room by a plank-and-muntin partition, perhaps reset. A fourth room at the N. end of the range is certainly later and was probably added when the original cottage became two tenements. (Demolished.)

(6) Coles Farm (80329812), house, ½ m. N. of the church, is two-storied with cob walls above a flint plinth, and thatched roofs; it is probably of the middle of the 17th century. The plan of the original range is similar to that of (5) and has the same orientation; a large chimney-stack serves the S. and middle rooms of a three-room range while the N. room remains unheated. At an early date and perhaps still in the 17th century a ground-floor room was added to the E. of the middle room. Rooms added to the N. end of the range and to the W. side of the S. room are probably of the early 19th century. The original S. end wall together with the side of the last named addition now composes a 19th-century S. façade. A Barn 30 yds. N. of the farmhouse, of banded flint and rubble and with a tiled roof, is perhaps of the late 17th or early 18th century.

(7) The Post Office (80279762), house, 300 yds. N.E. of the church, is two-storied with brick walls and a thatched roof; it was built early in the 18th century. The S.W. front includes two small shop windows with reeded wooden architraves and angle roundels of the early 19th century.

(8) Gould's Farm (80299738), house, 200 yds. E. of the church, is of two storeys with attics and has brick walls and tiled roofs; it dates from early in the 18th century. The E. front is symmetrical and of three bays with a central doorway and modern sashed windows. The N. elevation retains two original two-light casement windows with wooden surrounds.

(9) Deverel Mill (80669868), 7/8 m. N.E. of the church, includes an original two-storied range with cob walls and thatched roofs; it was built in 1781 (Salisbury Journal, 7 June, 1790). A cottage adjoining the N. end of the mill, and an extension at the S. end, are probably of the mid 19th century.

(10) Frogmore House (80349818), 50 yds. N. of (6), is of three storeys, with brick walls and slated roofs; it was built about the end of the 18th century. The E. front is symmetrical and of three bays, with a round-headed central doorway with a fanlight, and sashed windows. To the N. is a two-storied service wing.

(11) Houses, three adjoining, immediately E. of (7) on the N. side of the Blandford road, facing S., are of brick with slated roofs and appear to be of the late 18th century. The house at the W. end of the row has a symmetrical two-storied threebay S. front; to the E. is a pair of three-storied houses.

(12) House (80189752), 150 yds. N.E. of the church, of two storeys with an attic, has an E. front of banded flint and ashlar and other walls of rendered cob; the roof is thatched. The front is symmetrical and of three bays, with a central doorway and casement windows with segmental brick heads. A stone over the doorway is inscribed T.B. 1804. The type of masonry used in the E. front would suggest that the house was of the 17th century, but the use of cob in the other walls, and the symmetrical ground plan, confirm that the house is of 1804. The materials for the banded flint and ashlar front probably came from Milborne House (see (3)) which was pulled down in 1802.

Other 19th-century monuments include the following: Longthornes (82599915), a two-storied house with rendered walls and slated roofs at the N.E. extremity of the parish; Rough Close Barn, a farmhouse of cob and thatch at 81259847; Cottages with rendered rubble and cob walls and thatched roofs at 80419760 and 80359762; Houses of cob and thatch at 80189773 and 80239773; a House at 80219750, of two storeys with rendered walls and a symmetrical three-bay front with rusticated quoins; and the Royal Oak Inn (80149764), of two storeys with rendered walls and thatched roofs.

Mediaeval and Later Earthworks

(13) Enclosure and Settlement Remains (802963) lie on the W. side of the Milborne Brook, on gently sloping ground, ¾ m. S. of the village. The settlement is at least in part mediaeval, but its name and the date of desertion are completely unknown. It may have been part of Milborne St. Andrew or of Churchton (Hutchins II, 591–2) and its desertion was possibly due to movement of the village from along the brook to the Dorchester-Blandford road (cf. Winterborne Whitechurch (15)).

The main feature of the site is a rectangular enclosure of 2 acres, bounded by banks and scarps up to 3 ft. high, with internal sub-divisions resulting in at least six small, almost square paddocks (Plate 183). The three N. paddocks have scarped and banked plots within them, perhaps building platforms. In the N.E. paddock is a rectangular area bounded by low banks and scarps with an entrance on the N., and a similar feature is cut into the W. side of the S.W. paddock; these are the remains of buildings. On the E. side of the N.E. paddock is an oval embanked depression 1½ ft. deep, with an entrance on the S.E. Similar enclosures occur at Charminster (25) and Dewlish (7).

Milborne Brook

To the N. of the enclosure, along the Milborne Brook, are a series of small closes bounded by scarps and banks. The remains are much disturbed, especially at the E. ends, by canalization of the brook which now runs from 30 yds. to 70 yds. W. of its former bed. One certain house site occurs near the N.E. corner of the enclosure; other house sites may have been destroyed by the canalization. The closes at the N. end of the site are cut by a ditch, probably a mill leet, which appears to be a late feature of the site. Air photographs (R.A.F. CPE/UK 1934: 4115–6) show slight traces of further closes extending northwards for at least 350 yds. to the edge of the present village, but they are too much disturbed for interpretation. Sherds of mediaeval scratch-marked ware have been found on the site.

(14) Settlement Remains (803975 and 803970), formerly part of Milborne Stileham village, lie on the E. side of the Milborne Brook and S. of, and within the E. part of the present village. The remains probably represent one of the two separate Milbornes listed in Domesday Book (Vol. I, f. 83a and 84b), which have gradually become one settlement. Only very disturbed and fragmentary closes bounded by low banks remain.

(15) Settlement Remains (955984), of the former hamlet of Milborne Deverel, lie on both sides of the Milborne Brook immediately S. of Deverel Farm. The settlement was probably listed in Domesday Book with Milborne St. Andrew; there is no record of its population in any document. Desertion is probably the result of a movement of population from along the Milborne Brook to the modern village astride the DorchesterBlandford road.

The remains, which are very fragmentary, consist of ten rectangular closes on the E. of the brook and at least twelve on the W.; they are 30 yds. to 100 yds. long and 25 yds. to 40 yds. wide, and are bounded by banks 1 ft. to 3 ft. high. Disturbed areas at the lower ends indicate the sites of former buildings. Other very low banks to the N. of Deverel Farm, on the E. side of the brook, may be part of the same settlement.

(16) Cultivation Remains. The dates of enclosure of the open field systems in the parish are unknown; remains are noted in three places.

About ½ m. N.E. of Weatherby Castle (around 813968) are slight traces of contour strip lynchets, now almost ploughed out; they were probably part of the open fields of Milborne Stileham.

About ½ m. W. of Weatherby Castle (around 798962) and immediately W. of (13) were formerly some 30 acres of very slight contour strip lynchets, with low risers, arranged in butting and interlocked furlong blocks; they now are all destroyed. The remains were probably part of the open fields of Milborne St. Andrew (R.A.F. CPE/UK 1934: 4114–5).

In the S.W. of the parish, immediately S. of Brewers Pond (794968), were formerly some 50 acres of slight contour and cross-contour strip lynchets with very low risers and a reversed-S plan. From their position and appearance these fields were probably cultivated from Milborne St. Andrew, but they lay beyond the permanent open fields of that settlement. They are now entirely destroyed (R.A.F. CPE/UK 1934: 4113–4).

Roman and prehistoric

(17) Occupation Debris and Inhumation Burials, Iron Age and Romano-British, were found E. of the village in 1929, during the building of Bladen Dairy (807978). The site is on a S.W.-facing slope of the Chalk at about 310 ft. above O.D. Some 90 pits, 4 ft. to 9 ft. deep, and ditches 14 ft. wide and 8 ft. deep were noted, as well as some flint masonry. The pottery suggested continuous occupation from the late 1st century B.C. to the 4th century A.D. and included samian and New Forest ware. Animal bones and several inhumation burials were also found. (Dorset Procs. LI (1929), 45–6; LII (1930), 10–18).

Weatherby Castle, Milborne St. Andrew

(18) Weatherby Castle (807963), ¾ m. S. of the village, is an Iron Age contour hill-fort occupying the S. and higher end of a Chalk spur, rising to 334 ft. above O.D., from which the ground falls steadily away to the W., S. and E. (Plate 182). The multiple defences, possibly of two phases, enclose an irregular area of 17½ acres and comprise two roughly concentric enclosures with an intervening space from 50 ft. to 90 ft. in width. The inner enclosure covers 5½ acres and is defined by a rampart standing up to 3 ft. above the interior and 23 ft. above the surrounding ditch. The ditch averages 40 ft. across and beyond it is a low, spread and discontinuous counterscarp bank. The outer enclosure is defined by a rampart 5 ft. high on the inside and up to 32 ft. high on the outside, though for much of its length it is little more than an outward-facing scarp, having been reduced on the inside by cultivation. The external ditch and counterscarp bank were seen by Hutchins (I, 142) but they are now little more than a shelf. The original entrance, facing W., has been much mutilated by ploughing. A steep scarp, formerly a bank, 400 ft. long with approach ramps at either end, covers the broad gap in the outer rampart; the N. approach ramp is original, but that to the S. appears to be merely the consequence of ploughing. Entry through the inner defences is by means of a curving ramp flanked on either side by the out-turned ends of the inner bank; a broad gap 200 ft. to the N. is certainly not original. There are no traces of occupation within the domed interior, but the summit is covered by a dense fir plantation and the remainder is masked by thick scrub, as also are the inner and much of the outer defences. Warne states that he collected fragments of Roman ware from the site (Ancient Dorset (1872), 159–61).

'Celtic' Fields, see p. 343, Group (64).

Monuments (19–37), Round Barrows

Of these nineteen round barrows, eight (30) to (37) together with Winterborne Whitechurch (21) and (22) form a group on Deverel Down; the other barrows are mostly scattered in the S. of the parish, some on Tertiary sands and gravels.

Deverel Barrow (30) was opened by Miles in 1824; it was 12 ft. high and had been disturbed. Inside, at ground level, was a semicircle of sarsen stones (Plate 132), all except two, larger than the others, covering cists cut in the Chalk. The arrangement invites comparison with Winterbourne Abbas (57), (Dorset II, 515). Near the largest stone lay a cremation, possibly primary, in an inverted collared urn surrounded by flints. The cists contained some seventeen cremations in globular and bucket urns set upright. As well, four with cremations, two without cremations, and four unaccompanied cremations lay on the barrow floor; five other cists contained only cremations (W. A. Miles, The Deverel Barrow (1826); C.T.D., Pt. 3, No. 59; Ant. J. XIII (1933), 433–4; Arch.J. CXIX (1962), 57). In 1844 two urns were found in a barrow near the Deverel Barrow (Durden Cat. No. 26). Warne opened four unlocated barrows on Milborne Down (C.T.D., Pt. 1, Nos. 22–25); of them, No. 22 yielded a cremation from the base of the mound, probably primary, and an intrusive skeleton 2 ft. from the top; No. 23 contained a primary cremation in an urn set in a chalk-cut cist, and an intrusive skeleton 3 ft. from the top; No. 24 produced a primary extended skeleton on rough sandstone paving and a secondary skeleton, of an infant, 2 ft. from the top; No. 25 produced a primary skeleton in a chalk-cut cist covered by a flint cairn containing three further skeletons, and a secondary cremation in a stonecovered cist 1 ft. from the top. In 1864 H. Durden opened a barrow, possibly (28), in the N.W. of the parish and found two skeletons and at least twelve urns, mostly inverted, containing cremations (Hutchins II, 604; Ant. J. XIII (1933), 445), 'Bagber Barrow', probably Stable Barrow (29), was excavated by J. C. MansellPleydell; it contained twenty-three urns, all with cremations, two inverted and the remainder upright and covered with slabs of sarsen or flint; the few urns to survive are of globular and 'bucket' type, and there is one small handled cup (Dorset Procs. XVII (1896), 131f.; Ant.J. XIII (1933), 445; Arch.J. CXIX (1962), 57, 65). In 1881 Mansell-Pleydell also opened three barrows on Warren Hill, probably (20), (21) and (22); the first barrow contained only ashes and a piece of pottery; the second contained three cremations, possibly primary, in cists; the third, almost certainly (21), contained a thick layer of black ashes at the centre and, on its N. side, the remains of a coarse urn (Dorset Procs. V (1882), 30–2). The Durden Collection (B.M.) includes several urns from unidentified barrows 'near Milborne St. Andrew'. (Ant.J. XIII (1933), 445).

(19) Bowl (78899636), 60 yds. S.E. of West End Barn, at about 250 ft. above O.D., at the head of a shallow combe running E. The mound has been damaged by former ploughing and by the insertion of a brick inspection hole for a pipeline. Diam. 95 ft., ht. 2 ft.

(20) Bowl (79259617), 465 yds. S.E. of (19), on a gentle slope near the summit of an E.–W. ridge, lies within a hedgerow and has been cut away by ploughing until it is now an irregular mound; it bears no obvious relationship to the much ploughed remains of 'Celtic' fields around it. Diam. (N.–S.) 26 ft., ht. 2½ ft.

(21) Bowl (79509591), 400 yds. S.E. of (20), on top of Warren Hill at 380 ft. above O.D., lies within the hedgerow forming the parish boundary with Tolpuddle and has been dug into in the past. Diam. about 45 ft., ht. 5 ft.

(22) Bowl (79879613), 465 yds. N.E. of (21), lies near the summit of a low spur sloping N. and E. at the N. end of Warren Hill. The mound is much disturbed. Diam. 35 ft., ht. 1½ ft.

The three barrows following lie on Milborne Down, on top of a low N.W.–S.E. ridge at about 300 ft. altitude. All have been heavily ploughed.

(23) Bowl (81119658), diam. about 55 ft., ht. 1½ ft.

(24) Bowl (81109662), 30 yds. N. of (23), diam. 60 ft., ht. 1½ ft.

(25) Bowl (81049676), 160 yds. N.N.W. of (24), diam. about 90 ft., ht. 1½ ft.

(26) Bowl (81629681), on a low ridge below Milborne Down, lies just above the 200 ft. contour. Much ploughed. Diam. 57 ft., ht. 2½ ft.

(27) Bowl (81689680), 70 yds. E.S.E. of (26) is heavily ploughed. Diam. 53 ft., ht. 1½ ft.

(28) Bowl (79029938), 80 yds. S. of West Bagber Copse, lies on a gentle slope overlooking a shallow combe to the E. Very heavily ploughed. Diam. about 50 ft., ht. 1 ft.

(29) Stable Barrow, bowl (79479934), 500 yds. E. of (28), lies within a hedgerow forming the parish boundary with Milton Abbas. It is on a gentle S. slope just over 400 ft. above O.D., near the summit of a broad ridge. The mound has been ploughed away on either side and is now elongated in form. Diam. (E.–W.) 60 ft., (N.–S.) 30 ft., ht. 6 ft.

The Deverel Down Group lies in the extreme N.E. of the parish, over 300 ft. above O.D., on downland sloping mainly S. and W. It comprises the eight barrows listed here and also two in Winterborne Whitechurch, (21) and (22); these lie on an E.–facing slope. Fragmentary remains of 'Celtic' fields are visible on the Down (see Group (64), p. 343).

(30) Deverel Barrow (81999900) is now almost entirely destroyed; its site is marked by a circular walled enclosure planted with trees. Inside, the only relics are a number of large stones on a slight mound. An inscribed stone recording the excavation was set up in 1827 but it is now in fragments. Diam. at time of excavation, 54 ft., ht. 12 ft. (Plate 132).

(31) Bowl (82019906), 75 yds. N.N.E. of (30), is in an area of comparatively recent ploughing. Diam. about 40 ft., ht. 9 ins.

(32) Bowl (82169911), 165 yds. E.N.E. of (31), is much disturbed. At some time a cut has been made right through the centre and recently the N. side has been quarried for chalk. Diam. 55 ft., ht. 5 ft. Traces of ditch.

(33) Bell ? (82269915), lies 120 yds. E.N.E. of (32). The mound has been dug into on the top and to the N.W.; only traces of the ditch survive. Diam. of area enclosed by ditch 56 ft.; diam. of mound 29 ft., ht. 2 ft.

(34) Bowl (82219930), 180 yds. N.E. of (33), lies within an area of former ploughing. Diam. 36 ft., ht. 9 ins.

(35) Bowl (82249929), 40 yds. E.S.E. of (34), has been spread by ploughing. Diam. 45 ft., ht. 2½ ft. Traces of ditch.

(36) Bowl (82209936), 70 yds. N. of (34), has its centre dug into and is much ploughed. Diam. 36 ft., ht. 1½ ft. Traces of ditch.

(37) Bowl (82289935), 100 yds. E. of (36), adjoins the hedge forming the parish boundary with Winterborne Whitechurch. The centre has been dug into and the whole mound has been badly damaged by rabbits. A modern track has destroyed the ditch on the S.E. Diam. 42 ft., ht. 5 ft.

Undated

(38) Enclosure (81709695), on the S. slope of a broad ridge, 200 yds. S.E. of Foxpound Plantation, consists of a rhomboidal area of 1/5 acre, bounded by a bank 2 ft. high with an external ditch 2½ ft. deep. An entrance in the centre of the S.W. side is apparently original. The interior is featureless except for a slightly embanked circular depression, 1 ft. deep in the centre. A hollow in the S.E. corner is probably the result of recent disturbance. Warne (Ancient Dorset (1872), 335, No. 5) lists a similar enclosure nearby which was then 'obliterated'; no trace of it remains.