Three Lords' Barrow, 450m south east of Doreys Farm

Reasons for Designation

Bowl barrows, the most numerous form of round barrow, are funerary monuments dating from the Late Neolithic period to the Late Bronze Age, with most examples belonging to the period 2400-1500 BC. They were constructed as earthen or rubble mounds, sometimes ditched, which covered single or multiple burials. They occur either in isolation or grouped as cemeteries and often acted as a focus for burials in later periods. Often superficially similar, although differing widely in size, they exhibit regional variations in form and a diversity of burial practices. There are over 10,000 surviving bowl barrows recorded nationally (many more have already been destroyed), occurring across most of lowland Britain. Often occupying prominent locations, they are a major historic element in the modern landscape and their considerable variation of form and longevity as a monument type provide important information on the diversity of beliefs and social organisations amongst early prehistoric communities. They are particularly representative of their period and a substantial proportion of surviving examples are considered worthy of protection.

The Three Lords' Barrow, 450m south east of Doreys Farm survives well and will contain archaeological and environmental evidence relating to the monument and the landscape in which it was constructed.

Details

The monument includes a bowl barrow situated on a low natural rise, occurring along the eastern periphery of East Holme Plain, a heathland area of the Isle of Purbeck. The barrow is one of four known within the area. The barrow has a mound composed of earth, sand and turf, with a maximum diameter of 20m and a maximum height of c.1.5m. This is surrounded by a ditch from which material was quarried during the construction of the monument. The ditch is no longer visible, as it has become infilled over the years, but it will survive as a buried feature c.2m wide. The barrow forms the boundary of four parishes and its name is thought to derive from the historic juncture of three manorial estates. Excluded from the scheduling are all fence posts relating to the modern field boundaries, although the underlying ground 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:

28327

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset: Volume I, (1970), 435

Other
Mention group of 4 barrows,
Mention variance in size of barrow,

End of official list entry

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