Bowl barrow 100m east of Thorn Down: one of the group known as Seven Barrows

Reasons for Designation

Round barrow cemeteries date to the Bronze Age (c.2000-700 BC). They comprise closely-spaced groups of up to 30 round barrows - rubble or earthen mounds covering single or multiple burials. Most cemeteries developed over a considerable period of time, often many centuries, and in some cases acted as a focus for burials as late as the early medieval period. They exhibit considerable diversity of burial rite, plan and form, frequently including several different types of round barrow, occasionally associated with earlier long barrows. Where large scale investigation has been undertaken around them, contemporary or later "flat" burials between the barrow mounds have often been revealed. Round barrow cemeteries occur across most of lowland Britain, with a marked concentration in Wessex. In some cases, they are clustered around other important contemporary monuments such as henges. Often occupying prominent locations, they are a major historic element in the modern landscape, whilst their diversity and their longevity as a monument type provide important information on the variety of beliefs and social organisation amongst early prehistoric communities. They are particularly representative of their period and a substantial proportion of surviving or partly-surviving examples are considered worthy of protection.

The barrow, the southernmost in the Thorn Down cemetery, is well preserved and represents a good example of its class. Despite partial excavation, the barrow will contain archaeological and environmental evidence relating to its construction and use and an understanding of the cemetery of which it is a part.

Details

The monument includes a bowl barrow, the southernmost in a linear cemetery of ten Bronze Age round barrows, seven of which are upstanding, and is situated along the floor of a dry valley between Thorn Down and Great Litchfield Down. The barrow mound is 32m in diameter and 3m high. Surrounding the barrow mound is a ditch from which material was quarried during the construction of the mound. This has become infilled over the years but survives as a buried feature 5m wide. Slight irregularities in the surface of the barrow mound are evidence of the partial excavation of the barrow undertaken, along with that of others in the cemetery, in the 19th century. Both cremation and inhumation burials were found, but the excavation records are such that it is not possible to assign individual burials to any particular 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:

24313

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Grinsell, L V, Proceedings of the Hampshire Field Club in Hampshire Barrows, Vol. 14(2), (1939), 206-207

Other
Carnarvon, Earl of , Unpublished transcript of letter, 1800,

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