Details

The monument includes a group of six round barrows situated along a chalk
ridge of the South Dorset Downs, overlooking the valley of the South
Winterbourne to the north. The barrows form the main part of the Three Barrow
Clump round barrow cemetery, which contains at least eight round barrows in
all.
On the north eastern side of the group is a pond barrow, defined by an outer
bank composed of earth, chalk and flint with maximum dimensions of 2m in width
and c.0.4m in height. This encloses a sunken circular area which is 11m in
diameter and up to c.0.4m deep.
To the south west of the pond barrow, is a bell barrow which has a central
mound composed of chalk, earth and flint with a maximum diameter of 25m and a
maximum height of c.3.2m. This is surrounded by a berm or gently sloping
platform 3m wide. The berm is surrounded by a ditch from which material was
quarried during the construction of the monument. The ditch remains visible as
an earthwork 4m wide and up to c.0.5m deep.
To the north west of the bell barrow are a group of four bowl barrows which
are aligned north west by south east along the axis of the natural ridge. The
barrows have mounds composed of earth, chalk and flint with dimensions which
vary from 8m-15m in diameter and c.0.4m to 2m in height. Part of the
intervening area is now occupied by a quarry which, itself, may partly overlie
the site of an additional round barrow.
Excluded from the scheduling are all fence posts relating to the modern field
boundary, although the ground beneath and the associated field bank are
included.

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.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

Round barrow cemeteries date to the Bronze Age (c.2000-700 BC). They comprise
closely-spaced groups of up to 30 round barrows - rubble or earthen mounds
covering single or multiple burials. Most cemeteries developed over a
considerable period of time, often many centuries, and in some cases acted as
a focus for burials as late as the early medieval period. They exhibit
considerable diversity of burial rite, plan and form, frequently including
several different types of round barrow, occasionally associated with earlier
long barrows. Where large scale investigation has been undertaken around them,
contemporary or later "flat" burials between the barrow mounds have often been
revealed. Round barrow cemeteries occur across most of lowland Britain, with a
marked concentration in Wessex. In some cases, they are clustered around other
important contemporary monuments such as henges. Often occupying prominent
locations, they are a major historic element in the modern landscape, whilst
their diversity and their longevity as a monument type provide important
information on the variety of beliefs and social organisation amongst early
prehistoric communities. They are particularly representative of their period
and a substantial proportion of surviving or partly-surviving examples are
considered worthy of protection.

The six round barrows 200m west of New Planting survive well and will contain
archaeological and environmental evidence relating to the Three Barrow Clump
cemetery and the landscape in which it was constructed. The cemetery contains
a bell barrow, of which 250 are known nationally, and a pond barrow, of which
only 60 are known.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Books and journals
Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset: Volume I, (1970), 463
Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset: Volume I, (1970), 463
Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset: Volume I, (1970), 463
Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset: Volume I, (1970), 463
Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset: Volume I, (1970), 463
Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset: Volume I, (1970), 463
Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset: Volume I, (1970), 463
Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset: Volume I, (1970), 463

Source: Historic England