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 situated on a knoll known as Blackhill
Clump, overlooking the Piddle Valley to the south west. The barrow is situated
500m south east of the broadly contemporary round barrow cemetery on
Blackhill.
The barrow has a central mound composed of sand, earth and turf with maximum
dimensions of 20m in diameter and c.1.5m in height. The mound is surrounded by
a berm or gently sloping platform 8m wide, and by a ditch from which material
was quarried during the construction of the monument. This has become
infilled, but will survive as a buried feature 3m wide.
There are fragmentary remains of a bank c.0.2m high around the edge of the
berm to the north east and across the buried ditch in the north west. This is
likely to represent the remains of a tree ring enclosure which has since been
disturbed by gravel workings.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
29052
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
