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. Despite some limited disturbance the barrow 200m north-west of Wildmoor Pool
survives well and is a good example of this class of round barrow. It will
retain archaeological deposits and environmental evidence sealed on the old
ground surface beneath the mound and in the ditch fill. It is one of several
such monuments which survive in this area and, as such, contributes
information relating to the intensity of settlement and the nature of land use
in the area during the Bronze Age.
Details
The monument includes a substantial round barrow situated above a small
valley, on ground gently falling to the north-east. The barrow is visible as a
well defined, stony mound 19m in diameter, standing 1.5 high on its uphill,
north-east, side and 2m high on its down-slope, south-west, side. The summit
of the mound has been disturbed and hollowed to a depth of 0.3m by exploration
at some time in the past. A second disturbance in the south-west flank of the
mound measuring some 2m long by 1m wide and 0.2m deep appears to be the result
of sheep scraping. Although no longer visible at ground level, a ditch, from
which material was quarried during the construction of the monument, surrounds
the mound. This has become infilled over the years but survives as a buried
feature some 2m wide. 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:
19096
Legacy System:
RSM
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