Six round barrows 200m west of New Planting, forming part of the Three Barrow Clump round barrow cemetery

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.

The six round barrows 200m west of New Planting survive well and will contain archaeological and environmental evidence relating to the Three Barrow Clump cemetery and the landscape in which it was constructed. The cemetery contains a bell barrow, of which 250 are known nationally, and a pond barrow, of which only 60 are known.

Details

The monument includes a group of six round barrows situated along a chalk ridge of the South Dorset Downs, overlooking the valley of the South Winterbourne to the north. The barrows form the main part of the Three Barrow Clump round barrow cemetery, which contains at least eight round barrows in all. On the north eastern side of the group is a pond barrow, defined by an outer bank composed of earth, chalk and flint with maximum dimensions of 2m in width and c.0.4m in height. This encloses a sunken circular area which is 11m in diameter and up to c.0.4m deep. To the south west of the pond barrow, is a bell barrow which has a central mound composed of chalk, earth and flint with a maximum diameter of 25m and a maximum height of c.3.2m. This is surrounded by a berm or gently sloping platform 3m wide. The berm is surrounded by a ditch from which material was quarried during the construction of the monument. The ditch remains visible as an earthwork 4m wide and up to c.0.5m deep. To the north west of the bell barrow are a group of four bowl barrows which are aligned north west by south east along the axis of the natural ridge. The barrows have mounds composed of earth, chalk and flint with dimensions which vary from 8m-15m in diameter and c.0.4m to 2m in height. Part of the intervening area is now occupied by a quarry which, itself, may partly overlie the site of an additional round barrow. Excluded from the scheduling are all fence posts relating to the modern field boundary, although the ground beneath and the associated field bank are included.

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:

22957

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset: Volume I, (1970), 463
Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset: Volume I, (1970), 463
Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset: Volume I, (1970), 463
Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset: Volume I, (1970), 463
Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset: Volume I, (1970), 463
Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset: Volume I, (1970), 463
Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset: Volume I, (1970), 463
Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset: Volume I, (1970), 463

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