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.
Details
The monument includes two bell barrows aligned north west-south east, and
forming part of the Poor Lot round barrow cemetery, situated on the South
Dorset Downs on the lower part of the south facing slope of the South
Winterbourne Valley. These are two of the 44 barrows known to occur within the
Poor Lot cemetery. Both barrows have central mounds composed of earth, flint
and chalk with maximum dimensions of 25m in diameter and c.2m in height. Both
mounds are surrounded by an outer berm or gently sloping platform 3m wide and
a ditch from which material was quarried during the construction of the
monument. This has become partially infilled over the years, but is known to
survive as a buried feature c.4.5m wide.
Excluded from the scheduling are all fence posts relating to the modern field
boundaries, although the underlying ground is included.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
22941
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals
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
