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 early partial excavation, the three bowl barrows 350m north of Poldhu Cove survive well and will contain archaeological and environmental evidence relating to their construction, relative chronologies, territorial significance, social organisation, ritual and funerary practices and overall landscape context.
Details
The monument, which falls into two areas of protection, includes three bowl barrows, situated above the prominent coastal cliffs known as Carrag-a-Pilez on the western coast of the Lizard peninsula. The barrows survive as circular mounds surrounded by up to 3m wide buried quarry ditches, from which the construction material was derived. The southern barrow mound measures 12m in diameter and is 1.2m high. It has been cut on its eastern edge by a road, and there is a small early excavation trench on the western side. The central barrow mound measures 13m in diameter, up to 1m high and has a central excavation hollow. The northern barrow mound is up to 10m in diameter, 1m high and has a small central hollow.
Sources: HER:-
PastScape Monument No:-425569
