Knowlton Circles (also known as Knowlton Henges or Knowlton Rings) are a complex of

henge A henge can be one of three related types of Neolithic Earthworks (archaeology), earthwork. The essential characteristic of all three is that they feature a ring-shaped bank and ditch, with the ditch inside the bank. Because the internal ditches ...

s and earthworks in Knowlton,

Dorset Dorset ( ; Archaism, archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Somerset to the north-west, Wiltshire to the north and the north-east, Hampshire to the east, t ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

. The henge enclosing Knowlton Church is the best known and best preserved, but there are at least two other henges in the vicinity as well as numerous

round barrow A round barrow is a type of tumulus and is one of the most common types of archaeological monuments. Although concentrated in Europe, they are found in many parts of the world, probably because of their simple construction and universal purpose. ...

Overview

The Knowlton Circles are a cluster of

Neolithic The Neolithic or New Stone Age (from Ancient Greek, Greek 'new' and 'stone') is an archaeological period, the final division of the Stone Age in Mesopotamia, Asia, Europe and Africa (c. 10,000 BCE to c. 2,000 BCE). It saw the Neolithic Revo ...

and

Bronze Age The Bronze Age () was a historical period characterised principally by the use of bronze tools and the development of complex urban societies, as well as the adoption of writing in some areas. The Bronze Age is the middle principal period of ...

monuments near Knowlton. There are four enclosures, three are of normal

form, Church Henge, Knowlton North and Knowlton South, and the fourth is a squarish enclosure known as Old Churchyard. Church Henge is the best preserved of these monuments and encloses the ruins of Knowlton Church. Nearby is the large

known as Great Barrow and a number of other round barrows are also focused on the area.

Church Henge

Church Henge (also known as the Central Circle, ) is the best preserved of the three henges at Knowlton. It is an oval enclosure surrounded by a ditch and earthwork bank. The enclosure is orientated roughly northeast to southwest and measures 106 metres by 94 metres. The enclosing ditch is 10 metres wide and up to 1 metre deep. The outer banks are 10 metres in width and stand up to 1.75 metres high. They consist of a series of straight lengths linked by rounded corners. Three gaps are present in the bank, to the southwest, east and northeast. It unclear which of the gaps are original, although the east entrance is likely to be original, whereas the west entrance was altered at a later date, possibly after the construction of the church. Knowlton Circles - map

Knowlton church stands in the middle of the henge, and symbolises the transition from pagan to Christian worship. Early Christian activity at Knowlton is indicated by a mid-to-late

Anglo-Saxon The Anglo-Saxons, in some contexts simply called Saxons or the English, were a Cultural identity, cultural group who spoke Old English and inhabited much of what is now England and south-eastern Scotland in the Early Middle Ages. They traced t ...

inhumation cemetery which was discovered to the east of Church Henge in 1958. Excavations located sixteen burials within chalk-cut graves, some aligned east-west. The earliest parts of the church are the 12th century chancel and nave and there are 15th and 18th century additions and alterations. In the 18th century the roof fell in and the church was abandoned.

North Circle

Knowlton North () is a small henge to the northwest of Church Henge, and is the northernmost henge in the Knowlton group. It has largely been destroyed by ploughing. The site is clearly visible as

cropmark Cropmarks or crop marks are a means through which sub-surface archaeological, natural and recent features may be visible from the air or a vantage point on higher ground or a temporary platform. Such marks, along with parch marks, soil marks a ...

s, although its original form is uncertain. It appears to be an elongated oval enclosure comprising a ditch with external bank, orientated roughly northwest to south east with a maximum diameter of 94 metres. There is a large entrance on the southeast side.

South Circle

Knowlton South () is the southernmost of the henges and is also the largest. It still partially survives as an earthwork though it has suffered from ploughing and parts are better visible as cropmarks. The henge is now bisected by the

Cranborne Cranborne is a village in Dorset, England. At the 2011 census, the parish had a population of 779, remaining unchanged from 2001. Until 2019 the appropriate electoral ward was called 'Crane'. This ward included Wimborne St. Giles in the west a ...

Wimborne Wimborne Minster (often referred to as Wimborne, ) is a market town in Dorset in South West England, and the name of the Church of England church in that town. It lies at the confluence of the River Stour and the River Allen, north of Pool ...

road, and farm buildings occupy part of the western side. The maximum diameter of the henge is around 250 metres. The enclosure is defined by a ditch and outer bank separated by a

berm A berm is a level space, shelf, or raised barrier (usually made of Soil compaction, compacted soil) separating areas in a vertical way, especially partway up a long slope. It can serve as a terrace road, track, path, a fortification line, a b ...

. It appears to have been constructed as a series of straight lengths linked by shorter curving lengths. It is best preserved on the north-west side where the bank is 13 metres wide and about 1.2 metres high, separated by a berm 3.5 metres across from the ditch. The ditch is 15 metres wide and 1.5 metres deep. It is not known where the original entrance was, and it may lie to the west under the road or the farm buildings.

Old Churchyard

Old Churchyard () is an enclosure of uncertain origin and function situated southwest of the North Circle. It has been almost completely levelled by ploughing but is still visible as a cropmark. It is a rounded square in plan, about 60 metres in diameter, and is bounded by a low bank and an external ditch.

Great Barrow

Great Barrow () is a large

of probable Late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age date. It is east of Church Henge, and crowned with a clump of trees.History and Research: Knowlton Church and Earthworks
English Heritage, retrieved 12 November 2013 It is the largest barrow in Dorset. The barrow is a mound 40 metres in diameter and 6 metres high, surrounded by two concentric ditches, both largely levelled by ploughing. The inner ditch is separated from the mound by a 5 metre berm. The outer ditch is 10 metres wide, 1.5 metres deep and is 120 metres in diameter.

Knowlton Circles Barrow Group

There are at least 35 barrows known in the Knowlton Circles Barrow Group including The Great Barrow. It is one of the greatest concentrations of round barrows in Dorset. Most are only known as cropmarks, although some are visible to the southwest of the South Circle. The barrows can be placed into three groups: located south and south west of the South Circle, north of the South Circle and around the Church Henge, and north east of the henges. This cluster of barrows indicates that the Knowlton Circles were an important religious centre.

Notes

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External links

Knowlton Church and Earthworks
English Heritage
Knowlton Circles - Aerial Survey Investigations
English Heritage Research
Knowlton Church and Earthworks
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