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.
Disc barrows, the most fragile type of round barrow, date from the Early
Bronze Age (1400-1200 BC) and, like bowl barrows, can occur either in
isolation or in cemeteries. Disc barrows were constructed as a circular or
oval area of level ground defined by a bank and internal ditch and containing
one or more centrally or eccentrically located small, low mounds covering
burials, usually in pits. The burials, normally cremations, are frequently
accompanied by pottery vessels, tools or personal ornaments. It has been
suggested that disc barrows were normally used for the burial of women,
although this remains unproven. However, it is likely that the individuals
buried were of high status.
Disc barrows are rare nationally, with about 250 known examples, most of which
are in Wessex. Their richness in terms of grave goods provides important
evidence for chronological and cultural links amongst prehistoric communities
over a wide area of southern England as well as providing an insight into
their beliefs and social organisation. As a particularly rare and fragile
form of round barrow, all identified disc barrows would normally be considered
to be of national importance.
The bowl barrow and disc barrow 600m NNW of Sandpoint Farm, survive well and
contain archaeological and environmental information relating to the monument
and the landscape in which it was constructed.
Details
The monument includes a bowl barrow and a disc barrow, aligned east-west, and
situated on the crest of a coastal promontory overlooking Sand Bay 600m NNW of
Sandpoint Farm.
The bowl barrow, the western of the pair, has a mound c.0.5m high and 10m in
diameter surrounded by a ditch from which material was quarried during the
construction of the monument. This has become infilled over the years but
survives as a buried feature c.2m wide. The top of the mound has a flattened
appearance; an OS triangulation point is situated on the eastern side.
The disc barrow is situated c.6m east of bowl barrow and has an external bank
c.0.2m high and slight internal ditch defining an area c.8m across. Within
the north-east section of the inner area lies a slight mound c.0.2m high by
0.8m wide.
The OS triangulation point is excluded from the scheduling, although the
underlying ground is included.
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.
