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.
The bell barrow 70m west of Fidler's Green survives well, despite ploughing
around the periphery, and will contain archaeological and environmental
evidence relating to the monument and the wider landscape.
Details
The monument includes a bell barrow situated on a low spur, with views over
the Frome Valley to the south west.
The barrow was recorded by the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of
England in 1970. It includes a mound composed of earth and chalk, with maximum
dimensions of 20m in diameter and about 2.5m in height, surrounded by a berm,
or gently sloping platform, 2.5m wide, and an outer ditch from which material
was quarried during its construction. The ditch was recorded as an earthwork
4m wide in 1970 and, although it has since become infilled, it will survive as
a buried feature.
The barrow lies within an extensive area of field system which is likely to
have prehistoric origins. The field system has since been reduced by ploughing
and is not included in the scheduling.
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.
