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 Bronze Age round barrow on Painsthorpe Wold. The
monument has been ploughed for many years and has been eroded so that it has a
spread and rounded shape. The barrow mound is 0.5m high and 23m in diameter.
Although no longer visible at ground level, a ditch, from which material was
excavated during the construction of the monument, surrounds the barrow mound.
This has become in-filled over the years but survives as a buried feature 3m
wide. This barrow is one of a number of similar monuments in the area, and
like the others, was investigated by J R Mortimer in the 19th century, when a
number of worked flints, sling stones and a jet stud were found, but no
interments.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
21089
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
