Bowl barrow 450m north-east of Baylea Farm

Overview

Location

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 evidence for partial excavation, the bowl barrow on Highwood Heath survives well and contains archaeological remains and environmental evidence relating to the monument and the landscape in which it was constructed. This barrow is one of a number to survive on the heathland between the River Frome and the Dorset coast.

Details

The monument includes a bowl barrow lying on lowland heath close to the Dorset coast. The barrow mound is 1m high and 25m across. A central hollow suggests that the mound may once have been partially excavated. Surrounding the mound is a ditch from which material was quarried during the construction of the monument. This has become partly infilled over the years, but can still be seen as a slight depression 1m wide and 0.5m deep. Beyond the ditch is a low outer bank 0.25m high and 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:

21922

Legacy System:

RSM

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 Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.