Twelve bowl barrows 800m north of Goodmanham Wold Farm

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 partial excavation and plough damage, these barrows retain significant information on their original form, the manner and duration of their usage, and of the burials placed within them. They will also contribute to an understanding of the wider group of which they are members.

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.

Apart from the five northern barrows, the group was investigated by the antiquarian Canon Greenwell in the 19th century. All except one of the mounds excavated contained burials, either inhumations or cremations, some of which were accompanied by food vessels and almost all of which had implements of worked flint beside them.

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:

21169

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Greenwell, W, British Barrows, (1877)

Other
Kinnes, IA and Longworth, IH, Catalogue of the excavated material in the Greenwell collection, Catalogue of Excavated Material in the Greenwell Collection, (1985)
Stoetz, K,
3771, Humberside SMR,

End of official list entry

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