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 180m west of the site of Pole
Cottage survives well and is a good example of this class of round barrow. It
will retain primary archaeological deposits and environmental evidence from
the old land surface sealed beneath the mound and in the ditch fill. It is one
of several similar monuments on The Long Mynd and, as such, contributes
information relating to the nature of past land-use and the density of
settlement of this area of upland during the Bronze Age.
Details
The monument includes the remains of a substantial round barrow situated on a
flat open hilltop. The barrow is visible as a flat topped mound of earth and
stone, 24m in diameter and up to 1.5m high. The summit of the mound has been
disturbed by exploration at some time in the past, creating a central crater
5m in diameter and 0.6m deep. Although no longer discernible as a surface
feature, 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:
19101
Legacy System:
RSM
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