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.
Details
The monument includes twelve Bronze Age bowl barrows, members of a wider group
of similar monuments in this area of the Yorkshire Wolds. The most north
easterly barrow mound (SE 9118 4584) is 0.4m high and 35m in diameter; the
most northerly (SE 9115 4584) is 1m high and 38m in diameter. Both these
barrows have been truncated to the north by a railway cutting; approximately
half of the north eastern barrow survives south of this cutting and two-thirds
of the most northerly one. A further barrow (SE 9113 4581) is situated close
to the edge of the railway cutting; it lies between the barrows described
above and another barrow to the WSW. Although the mound has been levelled by
agricultural activity, its enclosing circular ditch, 20m in diameter,
excavated during the construction of the barrows, is clearly visible on aerial
photographs. It has not been truncated by the railway cutting. The barrow
mound to the south west (SE 9110 4580) is 1.2m high and 42m in diameter. South
east of that lies another barrow mound (SE 9115 4578) 0.3m high and 40m in
diameter, while another to the north east of that (SE 9123 4580) is visible
only on aerial photographs, its mound having been levelled, and has a ditch
with an overall diameter of 11m. To the south of that barrow lies another
mound (SE 9122 4577) 0.35m high and 35m in diameter. A group of five barrows
is situated slightly to the south of those described above. Of these the
north eastern mound (SE 9126 4573) is 0.35m high and 35m in diameter, the
north western mound (SE 9121 4569) is 1.5m high and 50m in diameter, the
south eastern mound (SE 9129 4569) is 0.7m high and 42m in diameter and the
south western mound (SE 9123 4563) is 0.7m high and 42m in diameter. The fifth
barrow lies to the east (SE 9129 4562). Its mound is 0.7m high and 50m in
diameter. Although no longer visible at ground level, ditches, from which
material was excavated during their construction, surround each of these
barrow mounds. These have become infilled over the years but survive as buried
features 4m wide.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
21169
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals Other
Legal
This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
End of official list entry
