Scheduled Monument: Bell barrow on Affpuddle Heath, 800m south east of Wood Barn (1015359)

EXTRACT FROM ENGLISH HERITAGE'S RECORD OF SCHEDULED MONUMENTS MONUMENT: Bell barrow on Affpuddle Heath, 800m south east of Wood Barn PARISH: AFFPUDDLE DISTRICT: PURBECK COUNTY: DORSET NATIONAL MONUMENT NO: 28358 NATIONAL GRID REFERENCE(S): SY80539235 DESCRIPTION OF THE MONUMENT The monument includes a bell barrow situated on the crest of a ridge overlooking the Frome Valley to the south east. The barrow forms part of a group of six which, together, form a round barrow cemetery on Affpuddle Heath and Bryant's Puddle Heath. The barrow has a mound composed of earth, sand and turf, with maximum dimensions of 12m in diameter and c.1.25m in height. The mound is surrounded by a berm, or gently sloping platform, which was recorded in 1952 as an earthwork 2.5m wide. The berm is surrounded by a ditch from which material was quarried during the construction of the monument. The quarry ditch was recorded as an earthwork 2m wide in 1952 and although it has since become infilled, it will survive as a buried feature. ASSESSMENT OF IMPORTANCE 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. Despite some previous damage by vehicles and military slit trenches, the bell barrow on Affpuddle Heath, 800m south east of Wood Barn, survives comparatively well and will contain archaeological and environmental evidence relating to the monument and the landscape in which it was constructed. SCHEDULING HISTORY Monument included in the Schedule on 1st October 1962 as part of: COUNTY/NUMBER: Dorset 199 NAME: Barrows on Affpuddle Heath and Bryants Puddle Heath The reference of this monument is now: NATIONAL MONUMENT NUMBER: 28358 NAME: Bell barrow on Affpuddle Heath, 800m south east of Wood Barn SCHEDULING AFFIRMED ON 07th February 1997

Record last edited

Oct 15 2024 4:49PM