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. Although the barrow on the summit of Minton Hill has been subjected to some
limited disturbance by past exploration, it remains a good example of this
class of round barrow. It will retain primary archaeological deposits and
environmental evidence sealed on the old land surface beneath the mound and in
the ditch fill. It is one of several such monuments that survive on The Long
Mynd and, as such, contributes to an understanding of the intensity of
settlement and nature of land-use in this area of upland during the Bronze
Age.
Details
The monument includes a substantial round barrow situated on the summit of
Minton Hill. The barrow is visible as a circular, well defined stony mound,
16m in diameter and 1m high. The flattened summit of the mound has been
disturbed by exploration at some time in the past creating a central hollow 2m
in diameter and 0.3m 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:
19104
Legacy System:
RSM
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