Pimperne Long Barrow

Reasons for Designation

Long barrows were constructed as earthen or drystone mounds with flanking ditches and acted as funerary monuments during the Early and Middle Neolithic periods (3400-2400 BC). They represent the burial places of Britain's early farming communities and, as such, are amongst the oldest field monuments surviving visibly in the present landscape. Where investigated, long barrows appear to have been used for communal burial, often with only parts of the human remains having been selected for interment. Certain sites provide evidence for several phases of funerary monument preceding the barrow and, consequently, it is probable that long barrows acted as important ritual sites for local communities over a considerable period of time. Some 500 examples of long barrows and long cairns, their counterparts in the uplands, are recorded nationally. As one of the few types of Neolithic structure to survive as earthworks, and due to their comparative rarity, their considerable age and their longevity as a monument type, all long barrows are considered to be nationally important.

Pimperne Long Barrow is a well preserved and well known example of its class and is one of several long barrows in the area, to the west of the west end of the Neolithic monument known as the Dorset Cursus. It is in a prominent position and adjacent to a public footpath. The barrow will contain archaeological remains, providing information about Neolithic burial practices, economy and environment.

Details

The monument includes a Neolithic long barrow, known as Pimperne Long Barrow, adjacent to the parish boundary between Tarrant Hinton and Pimperne, 300m NNW of the war memorial at Collingwood Corner. The barrow, which is orientated north west to south east, is situated in a prominent position at the top of a hill. The barrow mound is parallel sided, c.98m long and c.18m wide. The mound extends for c.2m into the ploughed field at its N end where it has been reduced in height by ploughing. It is uneven in profile and slightly higher at both ends with a maximum height of c.3m. On the east side of the mound there is a berm up to 5m wide which is flanked by a ditch c.10m wide and 1m deep. On the west side the ditch is c.8m wide and 0.7m deep. Excluded from the scheduling are all fence posts although the ground underneath is 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:

27371

Legacy System:

RSM

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