Details

The monument includes a group of four round barrows situated near the edge
of a west facing ridge on Godlingston Heath within the Isle of Purbeck. The
barrows, which are arranged as two pairs, both aligned north east to
south west, include three large bell barrows and a smaller bowl barrow; the
bowl barrow is to the south west of the northern pair. The three bell barrows
each have a central mound composed of earth, sand and turf, with diameters
ranging from 16m-18m and maximum heights of between c.1.4m and 1.5m. The
mounds are each surrounded by a berm or gently sloping platform which ranges
from 2m-4.5m in width. The three barrows also each have an outer ditch which
varies between 2m and 3m in width and c.0.45m and 0.55m in depth.
The bowl barrow is situated within the south western part of the ditch of the
northern bell barrow. The bowl barrow has a mound composed of earth, sand and
turf with a maximum diameter of 11m and a maximum height of c.1m. This is
likely to be surrounded by a ditch from which material was quarried during the
construction of the monument. This has become infilled over the years, but
will survive as a buried feature 1m wide.

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

Bell barrows, the most visually impressive form of round barrow, are funerary
monuments dating to the Early and Middle Bronze Age, with most examples
belonging to the period 1500-1100 BC. They occur either in isolation or in
round barrow cemeteries and were constructed as single or multiple mounds
covering burials, often in pits, and surrounded by an enclosure ditch. The
burials are frequently accompanied by weapons, personal ornaments and pottery
and appear to be those of aristocratic individuals, usually men. Bell barrows
(particularly multiple barrows) are rare nationally, with less than 250 known
examples, most of which are in Wessex. Their richness in terms of grave goods
provides evidence for chronological and cultural links amongst early
prehistoric communities over most of southern and eastern England as well as
providing an insight into their beliefs and social organisation. As a
particularly rare form of round barrow, all identified bell barrows would
normally be considered to be of national importance.

The three bell barrows and bowl barrow on Godlingston Heath survive well, the
bell barrows being outstanding examples of their class. All four barrows will
contain archaeological and environmental evidence relating to the monument and
the landscape in which it was constructed.
The barrows form part of a dispersed group of round barrows situated across
Godlingston Heath.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Books and journals
Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset: Volume I, (1970), 452
Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset: Volume I, (1970), 452
Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset: Volume I, (1970), 452
Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset: Volume I, (1970), 452
Other
Mention barrow group,
Mention dimensions of barrow,

Source: Historic England