Reasons for Designation
The Round Pound represents an enclosure characteristic of the Iron Age or
Romano-British periods. Despite a relatively high location, this enclosure is
unlikely to have been defensive in nature and its setting is more likely to
relate to stock management, thereby reflecting the presence of the broadly
contemporary field system which extends widely over the area to the south and
west. No other similar enclosures have been identified within this part of
Dorset.
Despite some ploughing around the periphery, the Round Pound survives well and
will contain archaeological and environmental evidence relating to the
monument and the landscape in which it was constructed. The enclosure is of an
unusual form and represents a rare survival. The association of the enclosure
with the nearby field system is important, as the two monuments are likely to
preserve complimentary evidence for the agricultural exploitation of the Down
in the late prehistoric period.
Details
The monument includes an enclosure, known as the Round Pound, situated on an
elevated part of Chaldon Down, with panoramic views. The Round Pound lies
within an area of a broadly contemporary field system, although ploughing has
since reduced this into four separate blocks.
The Round Pound was recorded by the Royal Commission on the Historical
Monuments of England in 1970. It is defined by a bank composed of chalk and
earth, with maximum dimensions of 14m in width and about 1.5m in height. The
bank is surrounded by a ditch from which material was quarried during the
construction of the monument. The ditch has become infilled over the years,
but is known to survive as a buried feature 7.5m wide. The only identifiable
entrance is situated to the south of the eastern corner and includes a gap 3m
wide. It is uncertain whether this gap represents an original feature.
The bank and ditch enclose a slightly dished area, sub-square in plan which
covers about 0.6ha. The interior of the enclosure is higher than the
surrounding ground.
The only dating evidence from the site is a sherd of Iron Age pottery with
finger-tip decoration. This was recovered from the western corner of the
enclosure bank by The Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England
staff during survey work.
Excluded from the scheduling are all fence posts relating to the modern field
boundaries, although the ground beneath is included.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
29084
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals
Legal
This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
End of official list entry
