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
The two bowl barrows on Chelmorton Low are located on a hilltop on the western
edge of Taddington Moor on the limestone plateau of Derbyshire. The monument
includes both barrows within a single constraint area. The larger, south-
western barrow comprises a sub-circular mound measuring 24m by 22m and
surviving to a height of c.1.5m. It is situated c.20m from the smaller,
north-eastern barrow which is roughly circular and measures 18.5m by 17.5m by
c.1m high. Both barrows have suffered disturbance in the past, both by
eighteenth-century wall builders who robbed them of their stone and by partial
excavation. In 1782, the larger barrow was found to contain a stone cist
which held the remains of four or five inhumations and was situated on the
north-east side, just inside a kerb of limestone blocks. This kerb was
partially uncovered in 1961 by Forde-Johnson when it was demonstrated that it
formed part of a ring inside the barrow of 19.5m diameter. Disturbed human
bones were also found by Salt in 1909, near to the centre of the barrow on the
western side. The smaller barrow was partially excavated by Salt and Forde-
Johnson, and also by Thomas Bateman in 1846. Bateman recovered flint
implements and evidence of a cremation, while a polygonal kerb of stone blocks
was partially uncovered by Forde-Johnson. The excavated remains indicate a
Bronze Age date for both barrows.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
13348
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
