Reasons for Designation
Bowl barrows, the most numerous form of round barrow, are funerary monuments dating from the Late Neolithic period to the Late Bronze Age, with most examples belonging to the period 2400-1500 BC. They were constructed as earthen or rubble mounds, sometimes ditched, which covered single or multiple burials. They occur either in isolation or grouped as cemeteries and often acted as a focus for burials in later periods. Often superficially similar, although differing widely in size, they exhibit regional variations in form and a diversity of burial practices. Often occupying prominent locations, they are a major historic element in the modern landscape and their considerable variation of form and longevity as a monument type provide important information on the diversity of beliefs and social organisations amongst early prehistoric communities. They are particularly representative of their period. Despite reduction in the heights of the mounds through cultivation, the two conjoined bowl barrows 550m north east of Manor Farm survive comparatively well and will contain archaeological and environmental evidence relating to their construction, relative chronologies, relationship, territorial significance, social organisation, ritual and funerary practices and overall landscape context.
Details
The monument includes two conjoined bowl barrows, situated on the upper east facing slopes of the prominent Pound Hill. The bowl barrows survive as closely located circular mounds surrounded by buried quarry ditches, from which the construction material was derived. The western mound measures 32m in diameter and the eastern one 26m in diameter and both stand up to 0.8m high. Aerial photographs reveal the cropmarks of the contiguous surrounding buried ditches producing an hour glass shape in plan. These barrows were previously misidentified as a long barrow.
Further archaeological remains survive in the vicinity are scheduled separately.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
DO 36
Legacy System:
RSM - OCN
End of official list entry
