Bowl barrow 580m north of Dobbs Corner

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.

The barrow 580m north of Dobbs Corner survives well as a whole, despite some superficial disturbance caused by the lifted root plates of several fallen trees. Evidence concerning the construction of the barrow, the manner and duration of its use, and also the local environment, at the time of and prior to its construction, will be contained in the mound and in the soils preserved beneath it. The monument is close to another barrow which lies 100m to the north, and these two are among a large group of barrows, others of which survive as visible monuments in the Martlesham area; together these will provide evidence of the nature and extent of Bronze Age activity in the area.

Details

The monument includes a bowl barrow and is situated within a narrow belt of mixed woodland between the grounds of Suffolk Police HQ to the east and a row of houses fronting on to Deben Avenue to the west. The barrow is visible as an earthen mound standing to a height of approximately 1m and covering a circular area with a maximum diameter of 25m.

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:

21265

Legacy System:

RSM

End of official list entry

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