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.
The barrow on Ashlet Hill survives in good condition. It appears intact and
undisturbed and is a good example of this class of round barrow. It is one of
several such monuments surviving on the Long Mynd and, as such, contributes
information relating to the intensity of settlement, nature of land use,
burial practice and social structure of the prehistoric community occupying
this area of upland during the Bronze Age.
Details
The monument includes the remains of a bowl barrow situated below the summit
of Ashlet Hill on a narrow, roughly north to south orientated spur. The
barrow is visible as a well defined circular mound 12m in diameter and up to
0.7m high. The perimeter of the mound shows evidence of kerbing around the
east and south-west quarters. There is a slightly sunken area immediately east
of the barrow centre which may mark the position of a collapsed cist,
otherwise the barrow appears entirely undamaged. Although no longer visible 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 with an estimated width of
1.5m. A natural outcrop of stone to the north-east was probably used as a
source of building material for the construction of the monument.
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.
