Reasons for Designation
Long mounds are Neolithic monuments dating to the period 3000-2000 BC. They
take the form of a bank of earth and/or stone, rectangular in plan and
characteristically low and uniform in height, generally flanked on either side
by a quarry ditch. Long mounds can vary from 40m-140m in length, although they
are often within the range 90m-100m. Where excavated, pottery and flintwork
have been found within the mound material and, in some cases, pits containing
animal bones and charcoal exist beneath the mound. There is no evidence for
the presence of human remains, but some long mounds are known to be situated
close to contemporary funerary monuments such as passage graves and long
mortuary enclosures. In addition, some were later developed into long barrows
while others are associated with later round barrow cemeteries, and this may
indicate the persistence of a funerary tradition.
Only eight long mounds have been identified and these have a wide distribution
across England, with examples known in Dorset, Gloucestershire,
Northamptonshire, Staffordshire, Humberside and North Yorkshire.
As one of the few types of Neolithic monument to survive as earthworks, and on
account of their considerable rarity, age and longevity as a monument class,
all long mounds are considered to be of national importance.
The long mound 760m NNE of Whatcombe House is flanked by three of the twelve
round barrows which make up a cemetery which developed around the long mounds
during the Bronze Age.
Round barrow cemeteries date to the Bronze Age (c.2000-700 BC). They comprise
closely-shaped 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 long mound and round barrows 760m NNE of Whatcombe House survive
comparatively well and will contain archaeological information relating to the
continued use of the site for funerary and associated activity between the
Neolithic and Bronze Age periods. A second long mound is situated a short
distance to the north making this one of only very few examples where two long
mounds are found together.
Details
The monument includes a long mound and three bowl barrows situated below the
crest of a chalk ridge of the South Dorset Downs overlooking the South
Winterbourne valley to the north. The long mound is one of a pair situated on
the south western part of Black Down, around which a group of twelve round
barrows later developed during the Bronze Age; ten of these round barrows now
survive.
The long mound has a mound composed of earth, flint and chalk orientated from
south east to north west, with maximum dimensions of 98m in length, 18m in
width at the eastern end narrowing to 12m at the western end, and a maximum
height of c.0.5m. This is flanked on either side by a ditch from which
material was quarried during the construction of the monument. These have
become largely infilled over the years but remain visible as slight earthworks
c.3m wide.
The three bowl barrows are broadly aligned east-west and are situated on
either side of the earlier long mound, one to the south west and two to the
north east. Each bowl barrow has a mound composed of earth, flint and chalk,
which varies between 6.3m and 14m in diameter and c.0.1m-0.5m in height.
Surrounding the mounds are ditches from which material was quarried during
their construction. These have become infilled over the years, but will
survive as buried features c.1m wide.
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.
