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 on Godlingston Heath in the Isle of
Purbeck. It is set on a low sandstone ridge overlooking Poole Harbour to the
north east.
The barrow, which is known as `The Fishing Barrow', has a central mound
composed of earth, sand and turf with maximum dimensions of 29m in diameter
and c.2.5m in height. This is surrounded by a berm or gently sloping platform
2m wide which is surrounded by a ditch from which material was quarried during
the construction of the monument. The ditch is known from a survey conducted
in the 1960s to be 3.5m wide and c.0.5m deep. The ditch is visible as an
earthwork in the north western and south eastern areas, but has become
infilled to the north east and south west, where it survives as a buried
feature.
Excluded from the scheduling are the bench and golf ball washing facility
situated on the north eastern side of the mound, although the underlying
ground is included.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
22972
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
