Scheduled Monument: Bell barrow and bowl barrow 580m east of Clyffe House (1015354)

EXTRACT FROM ENGLISH HERITAGE'S RECORD OF SCHEDULED MONUMENTS MONUMENT: Bell barrow and bowl barrow 580m east of Clyffe House PARISH: AFFPUDDLE DISTRICT: PURBECK COUNTY: DORSET NATIONAL MONUMENT NO: 28342 NATIONAL GRID REFERENCE(S): SY78769220 DESCRIPTION OF THE MONUMENT The monument includes a bell barrow and a bowl barrow, aligned north east by south west and situated on a ridge known as Pallington Clump, overlooking the Piddle Valley to the south. The barrows form part of a group of six which, together, form a round barrow cemetery on the northern part of Pallington Heath. The bell barrow, which is situated to the north east, has a mound composed of earth, sand and turf, with maximum dimensions of 23m in diameter and c.2m in height. The mound is surrounded by a berm, or gently sloping platform, first identified in 1952, but which is no longer obvious as an earthwork. The berm is surrounded by a ditch from which material was quarried during the construction of the monument. The ditch is visible as an earthwork 2.5m wide and c.0.5m deep. The bowl barrow, which is situated to the south west, has a mound composed of similar material, with maximum dimensions of 20m in diameter and c.1.2m in height. The mound is surrounded by an inner quarry ditch 3.5m wide and c.0.5m deep, a bank 5m wide and c.0.6m high, and an outer quarry ditch 2m wide and c.0.5m deep. ASSESSMENT OF IMPORTANCE Round barrow cemeteries date to the Bronze Age (c.2000-700 BC). They comprise closely-spaced groups of up to 30 round barrows - rubble or earthen mounds covering single or multiple burials. Most cemeteries developed over a considerable period of time, often many centuries, and in some cases acted as a focus for burials as late as the early medieval period. They exhibit considerable diversity of burial rite, plan and form, frequently including several different types of round barrow, occasionally associated with earlier long barrows. Where large scale investigation has been undertaken around them, contemporary or later "flat" burials between the barrow mounds have often been revealed. Round barrow cemeteries occur across most of lowland Britain, with a marked concentration in Wessex. In some cases, they are clustered around other important contemporary monuments such as henges. Often occupying prominent locations, they are a major historic element in the modern landscape, whilst their diversity and their longevity as a monument type provide important information on the variety of beliefs and social organisation amongst early prehistoric communities. They are particularly representative of their period and a substantial proportion of surviving or partly-surviving examples are considered worthy of protection. Despite some disturbance by military trenches, the bell barrow and bowl barrow 580m east of Clyffe House survive well and will contain archaeological and environmental evidence relating to the monument and the landscape in which it was constructed. The outer bank and ditch of the bowl barrow are unusual components. SCHEDULING HISTORY Monument included in the Schedule on 13th December 1929 as part of: COUNTY/NUMBER: Dorset 96 NAME: Pallington Group of four round barrows Scheduling amended on 17th November 1988 to: COUNTY/NUMBER: Dorset 96 NAME: Group of round barrows on Pallington Clump The reference of this monument is now: NATIONAL MONUMENT NUMBER: 28342 NAME: Bell barrow and bowl barrow 580m east of Clyffe House SCHEDULING REVISED ON 05th March 1997

Record last edited

Oct 25 2024 9:49AM