Four barrows near Dornafield Farm

Summary

Four bowl barrows between 170m and 780m south of Dornafield Cross.

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, 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. 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 some reduction in height through cultivation the four bowl barrows south of Dornafield Cross survive well and will contain important archaeological and environmental evidence relating to their construction, use, longevity and landscape context.

History

See Details.

Details

This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 5 November 2015. This record has been generated from an "old county number" (OCN) scheduling record. These are monuments that were not reviewed under the Monuments Protection Programme and are some of our oldest designation records.

This monument which falls into four separate areas includes four bowl barrows on a slight ridge forming the watershed between the Kester Brook and River Hems. The monument survives as four circular mounds with buried quarry ditches. The barrows range in size from 30m to 45m in diameter and from 1.5m to 3.5m in height. The northernmost mound is flat topped and had a radar post erected on it during the Second World War. The surrounding quarry ditches from which material to construct the mounds was derived survive as up to 4m wide buried features for all four bowl barrows. Further mounds and field systems in the area are not included in the scheduling because they have not been formally assessed.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

DV 276

Legacy System:

RSM - OCN

Sources

Other
PastScape Monument Nos:- 446280, 446288, 446293 and 446308

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