Pair of round barrows 200m SSE of Windmill Hill: part of the Windmill Hill round barrow cemetery.

Reasons for Designation

A small number of areas in southern England appear to have acted as foci for ceremonial and ritual activity during the Neolithic and Early Bronze Age periods. Two of the best known and earliest recognised, with references in the 17th century, are around Avebury and Stonehenge, now jointly designated as a World Heritage Site. In the Avebury area, the henge monument itself, the West Kennet Avenue, the Sanctuary, West Kennet long barrow, Windmill Hill causewayed enclosure and the enigmatic Silbury Hill are well-known. Whilst the other Neolithic long barrows, the many Bronze Age round barrows and other associated sites are less well-known, together they define one of the richest and most varied areas of Neolithic and Bronze Age ceremonial and ritual monuments in the country. Round barrow cemeteries date to the Bronze Age (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 and occasionally associated with earlier long barrows. Where investigation beyond the round barrows has occurred, contemporary or later `flat' burials between the barrow mounds have often been revealed. Round barrow cemeteries occur across most of lowland England with a marked concentration in Wessex. In some cases they are clustered around other important contemporary monuments, as is the case both here and at Stonehenge. Often occupying prominent locations, they are a major historic element in the modern landscape, while their diversity and their longevity as a monument type provide important information on the variety of beliefs and social organisation amongst early prehistoric communities. All examples are considered worthy of protection.

The two Bronze Age round barrows 200m SSE of Windmill Hill survive as part of a nationally important round barrow cemetery and will contain archaeological and environmental evidence relating to the development of the cemetery and the landscape in which it was constructed.

Details

The monument includes two round barrows aligned north-south and visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs and as slight earthworks on the ground. The barrows are located on a break of slope facing south-east overlooking the River Kennet and Avebury. The northern barrow mound has a diameter of 27m and is surrounded by a quarry ditch c.3m across. The southern mound is 15m in diameter and has a quarry ditch c.2m across. Although no longer visible at ground level, the ditches provided material used in the construction of the mounds. Since construction they have been gradually infilled and now survive as buried features. Excluded from the scheduling is the fence line which crosses the monument from north to south but the ground beneath the feature 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:

21715

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
Field observation for this proposal, Schofield, J Jeffery, P P, On site discussion with IAM, (1992)
SU07SE615, CAO, Ring Ditch (SU07SE615), (1989)
SU07SE621, CAO, Round Barrow (SU07SE621), (1989)

End of official list entry

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