Bowl barrow on Fox Hill

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 partially altered by agricultural activity, this barrow survives reasonably well. It is one of a small number of larger barrows in the region and may have been enlarged and re-used in the Roman and/or early medieval periods.

Details

The monument includes a large Bronze Age bowl barrow, perhaps re-used in later periods. The barrow mound is now between 3m and 4m high and oval in shape, measuring 21m south-west to north-east and 27m south-east to north-west. However, the barrow is respected by a later field boundary to the north-west and the better survival of the mound against this boundary confirms that it was originally circular and larger, its shape having been modified by ploughing. Although no longer visible at ground level, a ditch, from which material was excavated during the construction of the monument, surrounds the barrow mound. This has become in-filled over the years but survives as a buried feature 3m wide. On present evidence, the monument, which has not been excavated, is identified as a Bronze Age barrow. However, because of its large size it has been suggested that it could also represent a Roman burial mound and/or a Thing mound, an early medieval meeting place.

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:

21236

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Bulmer, T, History And Directory of the East Riding, (1892), 235
The Victoria History of the County of Yorkshire, (1974), 272

Other
Sheppard, T, (1922)

End of official list entry

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