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 the barrows have been partially altered by agricultural activity,
they are visible as slight earthworks and were also comparatively well-
documented during a campaign of fieldwork in the 19th century. Further
evidence of the structure of the mound, the surrounding ditch, grave pits and
burials will survive.
The monument includes three adjacent barrows of a closely associated group
which have further associations with broadly contemporary boundary earthworks
in the vicinity of Hanging Grimston. Similar groups of monuments are also
known from other parts of the Wolds and from the southern edge of the North
York Moors. Such associations between monuments offer important scope for the
study of the division of land for social, ritual and agricultural purposes in
different geographical areas during the prehistoric period. Additionally,
some of the barrows in the Hanging Grimston area are distributed parallel to a
line later adopted by a Roman road; this distribution implies a degree of
continuity of land-divisions from at least the Early Bronze Age into the
Roman period.
Details
The monument includes three bowl barrows which are among several situated on
Deepdale Wold. The three barrows also lie on a line parallel to and 50m west
of the later Roman road between Malton and Brough: the general distribution of
Neolithic and Bronze Age burial mounds alongside the road is evidence that the
Romans were continuing to use an established prehistoric route across the
Wolds.
Although altered by agricultural activity so that their edges are indistinct,
the barrow mounds are still visible as slight prominences, each up to 0.3m
high. Previous editions of the Ordnance Survey map record that the mounds
were between 20m and 22m in diameter, although ploughing has spread the mound
material; the mound of the northernmost barrow is now at least 36m in
diameter, that of the middle barrow 30m and that of the southernmost barrow
between 30m and 35m. Ditches at least 3m wide will have surrounded each mound
and, although they have become infilled over the years and are no longer
visible at ground level, they will survive as buried features. The barrow were
recorded and partially excavated by J R Mortimer in 1866; fragmentary burials
were found close to the surface but the northernmost barrow had a 1.5m deep
grave pit.
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.
