Monument record MDO3037 - Bell Barrow, one of the Came Down Group, Winterborne Came

Mutilated bell barrow. Visible on aerial photographs {1} as a cropmark ring ditch 48m in diameter with internal mound, ditch and central pit. The site was digitally plotted for the South Dorset Ridgeway Mapping project.

Bell barrow <3>, bowl barrow <1>, 100 feet in diameter by 2 feet high, flattened byu ploughing. It appears on air photographs to be surrounded by a ditch about 140 feet in diamter. Probably the destroyed barrow "of immense size" recorded by Warne, which containedtwo inhumations accompanied by parts of antlers, and two grooved bronze daggers. <1> <3>

A presumed bell barrow but now extensively plough-spread. Diameter 30.0m, height 0.5m. There is no surface evidence of the surrounding ditch which is well defined as a soil mark on OS air photograph. Under root crop at time of field visit. Surveyed at 1:2500 on MSD. <4>

This may be the massive barrow destroyed in the nineteenth century; said to have contained nearly 2000 cartloads of soil. Two primary inhumations accompanied by parts of antlers, some 10ft. From the surface. 3ft. To 4ft. Below were two grooved bronze daggers, the longer probably with 6 rivets, the shorter apperently tanged. All apparently SE of centre.

Visible on aerial photographs <7> as a cropmark ring ditch 48m in diameter with internal mound, ditch and central pit. The site was digitally plotted for the South Dorset Ridgeway Mapping project.

<1> Grinsell, L V, 1959, Dorset Barrows, 149 (Monograph). SDO132.

<2> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1963 (Map). SWX1540.

(SY 69148651) Tumulus (NR) (site of) (NAT)

<3> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 464 (Monograph). SDO150.

‘(35) Bell (?) (69148651) 160 yds. N.E. of (34). Diam. 100 ft., ht. 2 ft., but flattened by ploughing. Probably within ditch about 140 ft. in diam., suggested by air photographs CRP/UK 1934: 1058.’

<3.1> Warne, C, 1866, The Celtic Tumuli of Dorset (1866) (Monograph). SWX8166.

<3.2> Royal Air Force, 17-JAN-1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1934 1057-9 (Aerial Photograph). SDO12018.

<4> Stone, J W, Field Investigators Comments JWS, F1 JWS 08-FEB-80 (Unpublished document). SDO11902.

<4.1> Ordnance Survey, OS/78/080/124 (Aerial Photograph). SDO19921.

<5> Papworth, M, 1983, The South Dorset Ridgeway Project: condition and management survey, SDR 506 (Index). SDO12304.

Diam 30.0m. Ht. 0.5 m. There is no surface evidence of the surrounding ditch. In ley pasture. 1/3/C.

<6> Wessex Archaeology, 2011, South Dorset Ridgeway Barrow Survey 2010 (Unpublished document). SDO12407.

<7> 21-SEP-1998, NMR SY6987/18 (Aerial Photograph). SDO11835.

<8> National Record of the Historic Environment, 452199 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jun 29 2023 3:49PM