Lanceborough King Barrow
Bronze Age Round Barrow
East of Dorchester, Dorset  OS Map Ref SY66698928
OS Maps - Landranger 194 (Dorchester & Weymouth), Explorer OL15 (Purbeck and South Dorset)


Lanceborough King Barrow
This is the huge Bronze Age round barrow that can be seen just to the north of Maiden Castle and is one of the largest mounds in Dorset measuring 55 metres in diameter and about 7 metres tall. It was part of a group of round barrows and earthworks that seem to be related to an earlier long barrow that has since be ploughed away. It has only ever been partly excavated with a secondary burial in a stone cist dating from the the Roman era discovered in 1862 under the top of the mound.

Ann Woodward in her book "British Barrows, a matter of life and death" goes into great detail about viewsheds from the top of the barrow and suggests that it was enlarged and heightened over time specifically for this purpose. Her evidence is certainly convincing, from the base of the barrow the views are limited, from the top there are sightlines to several long barrows as well as extensive views to the north and east from the North Dorset Ridge to Purbeck.

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