Reasons for Designation
Bell barrows, the most visually impressive form of round barrow, are funerary
monuments dating to the Early and Middle Bronze Age, with most examples
belonging to the period 1500-1100 BC. They occur either in isolation or in
round barrow cemeteries and were constructed as single or multiple mounds
covering burials, often in pits, and surrounded by an enclosure ditch. The
burials are frequently accompanied by weapons, personal ornaments and pottery
and appear to be those of aristocratic individuals, usually men. Bell barrows
(particularly multiple barrows) are rare nationally, with less than 250 known
examples, most of which are in Wessex. Their richness in terms of grave goods
provides evidence for chronological and cultural links amongst early
prehistoric communities over most of southern and eastern England as well as
providing an insight into their beliefs and social organisation. As a
particularly rare form of round barrow, all identified bell barrows would
normally be considered to be of national importance.
Details
The monument includes a bell barrow situated on a spur overlooking the estuary
of the River Axe, 650m south-west of Uphill Farm.
The barrow has a mound 13m in diameter and c.1.8m high surrounded by a gently
sloping berm or platform c.3m wide and c.0.2m above ground level. Surrounding
the berm is a ditch from which material was quarried during the construction
of the monument. This has become infilled over the years but survives as a
buried feature c.2m wide.
The barrow may have been partially excavated by the Reverend Skinner and a Mr
Crocker during 1819. Finds including an inscribed bronze ring, four bronze
buttons and ten glass beads are also thought to have been recovered from this
barrow in 1826 by the Reverend David Williams. These finds are now held in
Glastonbury Museum.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
22835
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Other
Legal
This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
End of official list entry
