Bowl barrow and disc barrow 600m NNW of Sandpoint Farm

Overview

Location

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.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

22827

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Grinsell, L, 'Proceedings of the Somerset Archaeology and Natural Hist Soc' in Somerset Barrows Part II, , Vol. 115, (1971), 108
Other
Definition of fancy barrow, Darvill, T.C., MPP Single Monument Class Description - Fancy Barrows (Definit.), (1988)
Description, Thackray D, National Trust Archaeological Sites Records, (1980)

Legal

This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.