Two barrows 850m north west of Whiteway Farm: part of a round barrow cemetery to the south east of East Lulworth

Reasons for Designation

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 evidence for partial excavation, the two barrows which are part of the round barrow cemetery to the south east of East Lulworth, have survived comparatively well and contain archaeological remains and environmental evidence relating to the monument and the landscape in which it was constructed.

Details

The monument includes two bowl barrows aligned north west-south east and situated on lowland heath close to the Dorset coast. Together they form part of a wider round barrow cemetery. Both mounds are 0.75m high. The north western barrow mound is 26m in diameter and the south eastern mound is 18m across. Each mound is surrounded by a ditch from which material was quarried during its construction. These have become infilled over the years and can no longer be seen at ground level. They survive however as buried features c.4m and c.2.5m wide respectively. The presence of a central depression in the top of the south eastern mound suggests that this barrow has been partially excavated.

MAP EXTRACT The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract. It includes a 2 metre boundary around the archaeological features, considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

21940

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Royal Commission on Historical Monuments, , County of Dorset , (1970)

End of official list entry

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