Barrows on Longstone Hill

Summary

Two round cairns 1170m south west of Lower Pardlestone Farm.

Reasons for Designation

The area of the Quantock Hills, although small in extent, is one of the few remaining expanses of open moorland in southern Britain. The archaeological importance lies in the existence of a landscape displaying examples of monuments tracing the exploitation of the hills from the Bronze Age onwards.
Well-preserved monuments from the Bronze Age and Iron Age, including round barrows, cairns, settlements, hillforts and a track-way, as well as later industrial remains, give insights into changes in the pattern of land use on the hills through time. These earthwork features are one of the key components of the Quantocks' broader landscape character. Round cairns are prehistoric funerary monuments dating to the Bronze Age (c.2000-700 BC). They were constructed as earthen or rubble mounds, the latter predominating in areas of upland Britain where such raw materials were locally available in abundance. Round cairns may cover single or multiple burials and are sometimes surrounded by an outer ditch. Often occupying prominent locations, they are a major visual element in the modern landscape. Their considerable variation in form and longevity as a monument type provide important information on the diversity of beliefs and social organisation amongst early prehistoric communities. Twelve round cairns have been recorded on the Quantocks, although the original figure is likely to have been higher. They are particularly representative of their period. Despite partial early excavation the two round cairns 1170m south west of Lower Pardlestone Farm survive comparatively 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.

History

See Details.

Details

This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 25 August 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 two areas, includes two round cairns situated on the upper slopes of a northern spur of Longstone Hill which forms the watershed between the valleys of the Gay’s House Combe and Dens Combe. The cairns survive as circular stony mounds. The north western mound measures 19m in diameter and up to 1.2m high and the summit has several hollows including one at the centre. The south eastern mound is 11.5m in diameter and 1.1m high with a rectangular hollow on its northern side. The Greenway Path along the summit of the ridge passes between the two cairns.

Further archaeological remains in the vicinity are not included because they have not been formally assessed.

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

SO 415

Legacy System:

RSM - OCN

Sources

Other
PastScape Monument No:-189871 and 189876

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