Winterbourne Poor Lot Barrows

The Winterbourne Poor Lot Barrows represent one of Britain’s finest and most accessible examples of a Neolithic and Bronze Age burial cemetery. This remarkable linear cemetery consists of at least 44 bowl and bell barrows stretched along a prominent ridgeline, creating a striking skyline feature visible for miles. Dating from around 4,000 to 3,500 years ago, these burial mounds were the final resting places of important tribal leaders and their families. The barrows vary in size and form, with some retaining impressive height and clearly defined ditches. The cemetery’s ridge-top position offers breathtaking views across West Dorset and demonstrates our ancestors’ careful selection of prominent, sacred landscapes. Managed by English Heritage, the site is freely accessible via the Ridgeway path, allowing visitors to walk among these ancient monuments and contemplate the Bronze Age communities who created this extraordinary ritual landscape.