Monument record MDO8244 - Bell barrow, Hambury Tout, West Lulworth

Bell barrow and detached burials. A mound surrounded by an outer ditch is visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs and Lidar imagery of Hambury Tout. It is considered likely to be the site of a late prehistoric round barrow. It is one of three potential round barrows located on Hambury Tout (see also MDO8243 & MDO8245).

Hanbury Hill ... a tumulus or circle about 10ft in diameter. of large loose stones ... a gigantic skeleton had been found there - 1791. (May apply to this tumulus which is situated on Hambury Tout). <2>

A) A good example of a bell-barrow, opened by J Milner about 1790. Near to the centre was a skeleton with the feet rather drawn up, on the breast of which was a pottery vessel (not certain whether this interment was E.B.A. or very much later). Beneath this, and in the centre, were ashes. The barrow was opened very unscientifically and badly recorded. The central part of the excavation was done by treasure seekers." 'B') A bowl barrow sited at SY 81608028. Possibly opened by J Milner the same day as he dug into (a). Bones and broken urns found. <3>

'A' - A mound of diameter 22.0m, and height 2.5m. A berm 2.0m. Wide is visible on all but the N. quadrant. A surrounding ditch averages 1.5m. In width, and is 0.2m. Deep. Flat topped and grass covered, no surface finds were made in the vicinity of this bell barrow. <4>

'A'-(40)-SY 81588030. Bell barrow, 78ft diameter and 9 1/2 ft high with traces of berm and ditch on the rounded summit of Hambury Tout. Probably opened by Milner who found a large heap of ashes under a central cairn, above which was a contracted inhumation with an urn on its chest. <6>

SY 816802-816803. Hambury Tout round barrows. Scheduled. <7>

'A'. SY 81588029. Bell Barrow, overall diameter 29.0m. Including a ditch 2.0m. Wide and 0.3m. Deep. The height is 3.5m. Maximum and there is a berm 2.5m. Wide except on the north and north-east. Resurveyable at 1/2500 on M.S.D. <8>

A mound, approximately 19m in diameter, surrounded by a 1.8m wide outer ditch, is visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs <10-11> and Lidar imagery <12> of Hambury Tout. It is considered likely to be the site of a late prehistoric round barrow. It is one of three potential round barrows located on Hambury Tout (see also MDO8243 & MDO8245). This feature was digitally plotted during the South West Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey (Dorset).

<1> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1903 (Map). SWX1540.

Tumulus (NR)

<2> Crawford, O G S, Annotated record map 6 inch (Map). SWX7265.

<2.1> O' Keefe, D O, 1826, Recollections II, p173 (Monograph). SWX8367.

<3> Grinsell, L V, Dorset Barrows (Unpublished MSs) (Unpublished document). SWX2678.

<3.1> Gentleman's Magazine, 1790, p897-901 (Serial). SWX8280.

<4> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, 05-SEP-52 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<5> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1963 (Map). SWX1540.

'A'- SY 81588029; 'B'- SY 81648030). Tumuli (NR)

<6> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 446 (Monograph). SDO150.

<7> Department of the Environment, 1977, Department of the Environment (IAM) Ancient Monuments of England (Vol 1), p71 (Monograph). SWX2598.

<8> Barton, J G, Various, Field Investigators Comments JGB, F2 JGB 24-JUL-81 (Unpublished document). SDO11900.

<9> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, Externally held archive: RCH01/093 RCHME Inventory: Dorset II (South-East) (Unpublished document). SDO17434.

<10> Royal Air Force, 04-NOV-1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1821 F36 5436-7 (Aerial Photograph). SDO12938.

<11> Royal Air Force, 18-FEB-1970, RAF 58/0254 0005-6 (Aerial Photograph). SDO12936.

<12> Channel Coastal Observatory, 25-FEB-2009, Lidar (Aerial Photograph). SDO12879.

<13> National Record of the Historic Environment, 455618 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Oct 15 2024 3:55PM