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.
Details
The monument includes a pair of bowl barrows orientated north-south and
situated on a ridge of the Sussex Downs near the summit of Blackcap.
The most southerly of the pair is the largest, with a circular mound 8.6m in
diameter, surviving to a height of 0.45m. A hollow in the centre of the mound
suggests that the barrow may have been partially excavated. Surrounding the
mound is a ditch from which material used to construct it was excavated.
Although this is no longer visible at ground level, having become infilled
over the years, it survives as a buried feature c.2m wide.
One metre north of the large mound, and partly overlying its buried ditch, is
a second barrow with a circular mound 5.3m in diameter and 0.35m high. A small
hollow in the centre suggests that this mound has also been partially
excavated. The smaller mound is also surrounded by a buried ditch c.1m wide.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
24385
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals
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 Culture, Media and Sport.
End of official list entry
