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
Wardlow Hay Cop is a steep-sided hill on the western edge of Longstone Moor on
the limestone plateau of Derbyshire. The monument includes a sub-circular
bowl barrow measuring 30m by 26.5m which has suffered some disturbance on the
north-west side but is otherwise intact. The barrow is situated in a
prominent position at the summit of the hill and incorporates a natural knoll
to give it height and bulk. The elevation on the west side, where the
hillside drops away sharply into Cressbrook Dale, is c.4m while on the
remaining sides it is c.2m. No recorded excavation has been carried out on
the barrow which, due to its appearance and similarity to others of the
period, has been assigned to the Bronze Age. Excluded from the scheduling is
the trig point set into the summit of the mound but the ground beneath it is
included.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
13378
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
