Round barrow 200yds (180m) NE of Hell Gill Howe

Summary

Round barrow, 400m east of Brewery Bridge.

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. There are over 10,000 surviving bowl barrows recorded nationally (many more have already been destroyed), occurring across most of lowland Britain. 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 and a substantial proportion of surviving examples are considered worthy of protection.

The round barrow 400m east of Brewery Bridge is reasonably well-preserved with evidence of internal structures associated with burial. The monument will contain archaeological deposits relating to its construction and use and provides insight into funerary practices in the later Neolithic and Bronze Age.

History

See Details.

Details

This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 24 February 2016. 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.

The monument includes the remains of a Late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age round barrow, situated on a north west facing slope overlooking Hartley Beck. The barrow is sub-oval in plan with maximum dimensions of approximately 8m and stands about 0.75m in height. The barrow is preserved as a turf-covered earthwork with two slabs of stone protruding from its top. The largest slab measures 1m by 0.6m and comparison with similar monuments suggests that it represents the top of a burial cist.

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

CU 27

Legacy System:

RSM - OCN

Sources

Other
PastScape Monument No:- 14656

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