Shorn medieval boundary cross and bowl barrow

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Overview

Heritage Category:: Scheduled Monument
List Entry Number:: 1008774
Date first listed:: 15-Aug-1994

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Scheduled Monument
List Entry Number:: 1008774
Date first listed:: 15-Aug-1994

Location

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

District:: North Yorkshire (Unitary Authority)
Parish:: Kettlewell with Starbotton
National Park:: YORKSHIRE DALES
National Grid Reference:: SD 96949 75274

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.

Stone crosses were erected widely throughout the medieval period, mostly between the 9th and 15th centuries and had a variety of functions, although the main purpose of raising such a monument was to reiterate and reinforce the Christian faith amongst those who passed it. Many crosses were erected to mark the boundaries of lands held by ecclesiastical institutions such as monasteries. Others fulfilled a role as waymarkers especially in difficult and otherwise unmarked terrain. Such crosses contribute significantly to our understanding of medieval religious custom and landholding. Decorated examples also contribute to our knowledge of sculptural and artistic traditions. All examples which survive as earthfast monuments, except those which are damaged and removed from their original locations are considered worthy of protection. The remains of the Shorn Cross, although damaged, remain in situ at the intersection of trackways from Kettlewell and Starbotton and on a high point afforded by the bowl barrow. The barrow itself, whilst somewhat disturbed retains its height and traces of a faint ditch and its reuse as the site for the medieval boundary cross is unusual in this area

Details

The 14th century boundary cross known as Shorn Cross includes the base of a free-standing stone cross broken at a height of approximately 0.5m. Beside it is a fragment of the shaft of another boundary cross. The stones differ in shape and composition and are situated on the summit of a bowl barrow which averages 1.2m in height and has an approximate diameter of 12m. It has a slightly disturbed flattened centre and faint traces of a surrounding ditch around one side of its base. This cross is associated with nearby Coverham Abbey and is believed to mark the boundary of monastic estates in this area. It may also mark the boundary of the 14th century Forest of Littondale which coincides with the monastic boundary at this point.

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:: 24469
Legacy System:: RSM

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.