MOUNT PLEASANT


Description:  A large henge enclosure, partially extant as an earthwork, located on the southeast side of Dorchester. The site comprises a ditch and outer bank defining an irregular sub-oval area, the enclosure circuit being interrupted by four entrances. The maximum external diameter of the site is around 370 metres. Some excavation was undertaken in 1970-71 by G Wainwright. The principal features noted in the interior were a substantial circular post-hole structure comprising five concentric circles of post holes within a ditch circa 43 metres in diameter. The ditch was open to the north. In a second phase, the timber structures appear to have been replaced by central cove-like setting of standing stones. The main enclosure earthworks were themselves supplemented by construction of a palisade trench within and concentric to the inner side of the ditch. This palisade featured just two very narrow entrance gaps, each defined by massive post holes. The palisade enclosed an area of circa 245 metres by 270 metres. Finds included Grooved Ware sherds from primary levels in the henge ditch. Slightly later were Beaker sherds and a decorated flat bronze axe from the north terminal of the ditch. Sporadic post-Bronze Age activity included a circular Iron Age structure and some Saxon burials. The Conquer Barrow (SY 78 NW 3) overlies the henge earthworks on the western side.

Country:  ENGLAND

County:  DORSET

District:  WEST DORSET

Parish:  WEST STAFFORD

Grid Reference:   SY70998992

Map Reference:  [EPSG:27700] 370990, 89920

Period:  EARLY BRONZE AGE, EARLY MEDIEVAL, LATE NEOLITHIC, NEOLITHIC, 600 - 699, IRON AGE, ROMAN

Subject:  ANIMAL REMAINS, BUCKLE, COIN, CROPMARK, EARTHWORK, FINDSPOT, FLAT AXEHEAD, GULLY, HENGE ENCLOSURE, HUMAN REMAINS, INHUMATION, KNIFE, LITHIC IMPLEMENT, PALISADED ENCLOSURE, ROUND HOUSE (DOMESTIC), STONE SETTING, SUB SURFACE DEPOSIT, TIMBER CIRCLE, VESSEL

Identifiers: 
[ADS] Depositor Id: SY 78 NW 4
[ADS] Import RCN: NMR_NATINV-453935

People Involved: 
[Publisher] Historic England