Bowl barrow and section of boundary bank on Duckley Nap, 500m east of Wildmoor Pool.

Reasons for Designation

Bell barrows, the most visually impressive form of round barrow, are funerary monuments dating to the Early and Middle Bronze Age, with most examples belonging to the period 1500-1100 BC. They occur either in isolation or in round barrow cemeteries and were constructed as single or multiple mounds covering burials, often in pits, and surrounded by an enclosure ditch. The burials are frequently accompanied by weapons, personal ornaments and pottery and appear to be those of aristocratic individuals, usually men. Bell barrows (particularly multiple barrows) are rare nationally, with less than 250 known examples, most of which are in Wessex. Their richness in terms of grave goods provides evidence for chronological and cultural links amongst early prehistoric communities over most of southern and eastern England as well as providing an insight into their beliefs and social organisation. As a particularly rare form of round barrow, all identified bell barrows would normally be considered to be of national importance.

The stepped bowl barrow on Duckley Nap survives well and is a good example of this unusual class of round barrow. It is largely undisturbed and will retain archaeological deposits and environmental evidence relating to the landscape in which it was constructed sealed on the old land surface beneath the barrow and in the ditch fill. The barrow is unique in its style on The Long Mynd. It is, however, one of several monuments of a similar age occuring on this area of upland and, as such, contributes information relating to the intensity of settlement and type of land-use in the area during the Bronze Age.

Details

The monument includes the remains of a large barrow, the southern one of two known as Robin Hood's Butts, situated on Duckley Nap, a prominent high point at the northern end of The Long Mynd. The barrow is visible as a large and well defined circular mound with an overall diameter of 35.5m standing to a height of 4.2m above the surrounding natural ground level. In profile the barrow rises steeply from its base to a break of slope at 2m above natural ground level, the mound is then stepped in 2m to form an annular berm 2m wide before rising a further 2.2m to a rounded summit. The overall appearance is of a smaller upper mound 18.5m in diameter surmounting a flat topped lower mound. The north-eastern edge of the lower mound is crossed by a field bank of stone and turf construction. The area to the north-east is improved pasture and in this area the barrow is somewhat reduced and spread as a result of ploughing. Although no longer visible as a surface feature, a ditch, from which the material was quarried for the construction of the mound, surrounds the mounument. This has become infilled over the years but survives as a buried feature some 2.5m wide. The boundary bank crossing the barrow edge, though now marking the edge of the moorland, is shown in the earlier editions of the OS map as being within moorland vegetation. This, together with the structure and appearance of the bank, suggests that it is of considerable age. The section of bank crossing the barrow is therefore included in the scheduling to protect its archaeological relationship with the barrow below but the modern fence on top of the bank is excluded.

MAP EXTRACT The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract. It includes a 2 metre boundary around the archaeological features, considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

19094

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Ekwall, , English Place names, (1985)

Other
Record no 00194,

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