Monument record MDO7382 - Bell barrow, one of the Coombe Beacon Group, Coombe Keynes

A large round mound with surrounding ditch is visible as earthworks on aerial photographs on Combe Beacon. It is one of a known Bronze Age barrow cemetery group.

A group of heather-covered round barrows on Coombe Beacon: 'A' SY 86148450. Bell barrow, 22.0m. diameter and 2.0m. high with berm approx 2.0m. wide. The mound is flattened and mutilated by rabbits and there is a surrounding ditch 2.3m. wide and 0.4m. deep. <1>

Coombe Beacon Group of six round barrows, including two probable bells: 'A'-(17)-SY 86158450. Bell (?) barrow, 64ft diameter including eroded berm, and 5 1/2ft high with ditch 10 ft wide. Top disturbed. <4>

SY 860844. Three round barrows on Coombe Beacon. Scheduled (Probably 'A' 'B' and 'C'). <5>

A'. SY 86148450. Bell (?) barrow, overall diameter 27.0m. with a ditch 3.0m. wide and 0.5m. deep. Height 2.3m. The berm is not now recognisable. Resurveyed at 1:2500 on M.S.D. <6>

A large round mound (24m across) with surrounding ditch is visible as earthworks on aerial photographs on Combe Beacon <8-10>. It is one of a known Bronze Age barrow cemetery group. The site was digitally plotted during the Wild Purbeck Mapping Project.

<1> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 09-SEP-52 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

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

(Centred SY 860844) Tumuli (NR) (six shown)

<3> Grinsell, L V, 1959, Dorset Barrows, 102 (Monograph). SDO132.

<4> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 442 (Monograph). SDO150.

‘(J) Coombe Beacon Group (SY 88 SE). Six barrows, including two probable bells; (13–15) lie in a triangle and (16–18) in an almost straight line. … (17) Bell (?) (86158450) on almost level ground 55 yds. N. of (16). Diam. including eroded berm 64 ft., ht. 5½ ft., with ditch 10 ft. wide. Top disturbed.’

<5> Department of the Environment, 1977, Department of the Environment (IAM) Ancient Monuments of England Vol 2, 62 (Monograph). SWX2300.

<6> Barton, J G, Various, Field Investigators Comments JGB, F2 JGB 26-JUN-81 (Unpublished document). SDO11900.

<7> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, Externally held archive: RCH01/093 RCHME Inventory: Dorset II (South-East) (Unpublished document). SDO17434.

<8> Royal Air Force, 04-NOV-1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1821 4422-3 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13696.

<9> Royal Air Force, 18-FEB-1970, RAF 58/0254 0030-1 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13693.

<10> Dorset County Council, 2002, Dorset County Council Vertical Photograph (Aerial Photograph). SDO13401.

<11> National Record of the Historic Environment, 455471 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jan 22 2024 2:09PM