Reasons for Designation
Long barrows were constructed as earthen or drystone mounds with flanking
ditches and acted as funerary monuments during the Early and Middle Neolithic
periods (3400-2400 BC). They represent the burial places of Britain's early
farming communities and, as such, are amongst the oldest field monuments
surviving visibly in the present landscape. Where investigated, long barrows
appear to have been used for communal burial, often with only parts of the
human remains having been selected for interment. Certain sites provide
evidence for several phases of funerary monument preceding the barrow and,
consequently, it is probable that long barrows acted as important ritual sites
for local communities over a considerable period of time. Some 500 long
barrows are recorded in England. As one of the few types of Neolithic
structure to survive as earthworks, and due to their comparative rarity, their
considerable age and their longevity as a monument type, all long barrows are
considered to be nationally important.
The long barrow 500m north east of Eyford Hill Farm survives comparatively
well and will contain archaeological and environmental evidence relating to
the monument and the landscape in which it was constructed. The barrow is
unusual in that it does not appear to have been excavated in the past. The
monument forms part of a wider group of long barrows which are commonly
referred to as the Cotswold Severn type, named after the area in which they
occur.
Round barrow cemeteries date to the Bronze Age (c.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 are occasionally associated with
earlier long barrows. Where large scale investigation has been undertaken
around them, contemporary or later `flat' burials between the barrow mounds
have often been revealed. Round barrow cemeteries occur across most of lowland
Britain, with a marked concentration in Wessex. In some cases they are
clustered around other important contemporary monuments such as henges. Often
occupying prominent locations, they are a major historic element in the modern
landscape, whilst their diversity and their longevity as a monument type
provide important information on the variety of beliefs and social
organisation amongst early prehistoric communities. They are particularly
representative of their period and a substantial proportion of surviving or
partly surviving examples are considered worthy of protection.
The bowl barrow 500m north east of Eyford Hill Farm survives comparatively
well as part of a wider round barrow cemetery which is focussed around two
nearby long barrows. The barrow will contain archaeological and environmental
evidence relating to the monument and the landscape in which it was
constructed.
Details
The monument includes a long barrow and bowl barrow, the latter of which forms
part of a wider round barrow cemetery. The barrows are situated on a
north facing slope overlooking a dry valley to the north in an area of the
Cotswold Hills.
The long barrow, sometimes known as the Newclose long barrow, has a mound
composed of small stones orientated from north east to south west. The mound
has a maximum length of 56m and is 26m wide at the eastern end, 18m wide at
the western end and has a maximum height of c.1m. Flanking the mound on either
side is a ditch from which material was quarried during the construction of
the monument. These have become infilled over the years, but survive as buried
features c.5m wide.
The long barrow is one of a pair known in the locality. It is intervisible
with the second example and both long barrows occupy comparable hillside
positions on either side of the intervening dry valley.
The bowl barrow is situated to the south west of the long barrow and is
sometimes known as the Newclose round barrow. It has a mound composed of small
stones and has a maximum diameter of 22m and a maximum height of c.0.5m. This
is surrounded by a ditch from which material was quarried during the
construction of the monument. This has become infilled over the years, but
survives as a buried feature c.2m wide.
The bowl barrow forms part of a round barrow cemetery which is focussed around
the two earlier long barrows situated nearby.
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.
