Bell Hill, Dorset facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bell Hill |
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View from Bell Hill looking down Bell Hill Rd towards the Blackmore Vale
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 258 m (846 ft) |
| Prominence | 50 m (160 ft) |
| Parent peak | Lewesdon Hill |
| Geography | |
| Location | Dorset, England |
| Parent range | Dorset Downs |
| OS grid | ST800082 |
| Topo map | OS Landranger 194 |
Bell Hill is a cool place in Dorset, England. It stands 258 metres (about 846 feet) tall. This makes it one of the highest hills in the county! It's also a special spot along the Wessex Ridgeway, a long walking path.
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Where is Bell Hill?
Bell Hill is found about 5 miles west of a town called Blandford Forum. If you look to the southwest, you'll see the village of Ibberton snuggled right at the bottom of the hill. A bit further northeast, another village called Okeford Fitzpaine sits below Okeford Hill. Both villages are on the same long ridge as Bell Hill.
What Does the Area Look Like?
The very top of Bell Hill is part of a ridge that stretches from the northeast to the southwest. On one side, the land drops steeply into the Blackmore Vale and the Stour Valley. This steep drop is called an escarpment.
To the southeast, you'll find the woods of Turnworth Clump and Ringmoor. These woods are surrounded by two more ridges: Ibberton Long Down and Turnworth Down. Together with Bell Hill, they form a shape like a horseshoe. There's also another part of the hill that goes east from Turnworth Down to Shillingstone Hill. This spot used to have a quarry and is famous for a cross-country race. A special marker called a trig point on the Wessex Ridgeway shows this smaller peak.
Bell Hill's Ancient History
Bell Hill has a long and interesting past! People lived here a very, very long time ago, even before recorded history.
Signs of Early Life
About 500 metres southwest of the top of the hill, you can find a tumulus. This is an ancient burial mound, like a big dirt pile where people were buried. This specific one is called a bowl barrow because it looks like an upside-down bowl. Beyond that, there's a cross dyke, which is a ditch and bank that ancient people built.
In the area of the Ringmoor plantation, there's evidence of an old settlement and a field system. This means people lived and farmed there. Ringmoor is now looked after by the National Trust, an organization that protects important places. You can also see an old, unused pit at the bottom of the steep slope. This shows that people used to dig for materials there, a process called quarrying.
How Villages Got Their Names
The names of nearby villages are linked to Bell Hill! The villages of Belchalwell and Belchalwell Street got their names from two older settlements: Bell and Chaldwell. The village of Bell (now Belchalwell) was named after Bell Hill itself. Chaldwell later became Belchalwell Street.
Fun at Bell Hill
Bell Hill isn't just about history and views; it's also a place for adventure!
Paragliding Fun
Bell Hill is a special spot for paragliding. This is a sport where people launch themselves off a hill with a large fabric wing, like a parachute, and glide through the air. It's an exciting way to see the beautiful Dorset countryside from above!
