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Parts of Dorset Cursus on Bottlebush Down is a Neolithic ritual monument consisting of parallel linear earthworks that form part of the longer Dorset Cursus complex. Dating to the early Neolithic period, approximately 3500 to 3000 BCE, this section preserves substantial portions of the characteristic double banks and ditches that define cursus monuments. The earthworks on Bottlebush Down remain visible as prominent archaeological features in the landscape, demonstrating the scale and labour investment characteristic of this class of ceremonial monument. The Dorset Cursus represents one of the most significant examples of early Neolithic monumental architecture in southern England, used for ritual purposes and possibly processional activity during the earliest phase of Neolithic settlement in Britain.
Parts of Dorset Cursus on Bottlebush Down is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1002799. View the official record →
Parts of Dorset Cursus on Bottlebush Down is a Neolithic ritual monument consisting of parallel linear earthworks that form part of the longer Dorset Cursus complex. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1002799.
Parts of Dorset Cursus on Bottlebush Down is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic England (NHLE) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in England. The official designation reference is 1002799.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Round barrow cemetery south of New Barn Farm, associated with the Knowlton Circles (6.6 km), Bowl barrow 170m north east of the Horton Inn (7.5 km), Lengths of Roman road in Norwood Coppice and in The Rookery (7.5 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 15 strands of Parts of Dorset Cursus on Bottlebush Down's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Parts of Dorset Cursus on Bottlebush Down stands on White Chalk Subgroup, bedrock that formed in the Maastrichtian. The rock here is chalk.