Long Dale bowl barrow

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 disturbed by excavation, Long Dale bowl barrow survives reasonably well and retains further significant archaeological remains.

Details

This monument is situated on the edge of Long Dale in the central uplands of the limestone plateau of Derbyshire. It includes a sub-circular mound measuring 12m by 10m and standing c.0.6m high. The mound is slightly higher to the east than to the west where it levels out gradually into the side of the dale. A partial excavation carried out by Thomas Bateman in 1857 revealed a limestone cist or grave comprising two compartments, one of which contained the disarticulated bones of some twelve adults and children mixed with charred wood and burnt bone, animal bones, potsherds and a flint knife or spearpoint. The second compartment contained a crouched female skeleton accompanied by pottery fragments and flint artefacts. The remains indicate a Late Neolithic or Bronze Age date for the barrow.

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:

23249

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Barnatt, J, The Peak District Barrow Survey (1989), (1989)
Barnatt, J, The Peak District Barrow Survey (1989), (1989)
Bateman, T, Ten Years Diggings in Celtic and Saxon Grave-Hills, (1861), 102

End of official list entry

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