Three bowl barrows 500m NNE of Fitzhall: part of Fitzhall Heath round barrow cemetery

Reasons for Designation

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, 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.

Despite evidence for partial excavation of two of the three bowl barrows 500m NNE of Fitzhall, they survive comparatively well and have potential for the recovery of archaeological remains and environmental evidence relating to the landscape in which they were constructed. The cemetery represents one of many such monuments to survive in the area, giving an insight into the intensity with which the area was occupied during the Bronze Age as well as the related distribution of burial monuments.

Details

The monument includes three bowl barrows which form part of Fitzhall Heath round barrow cemetery. They are situated along a ridge in the Greensand 3.5km north of the South Downs. The complete cemetery consists of eight bowl barrows orientated in an east-west direction. The barrows at the east end are closely grouped while those at the west end are more dispersed. All the barrows survive as earthworks and have mounds ranging from 12m to 26m in diameter and between 0.25m and 2.5m high. The most easterly of these three barrows was constructed on the end of the ridge, the mound being broad but low measuring 23m in diameter and 0.8m high. Surrounding the mound is a ditch from which material was quarried during the construction of the monument. This has become infilled over the years and is no longer visible, surviving as a buried feature c.3m wide. On the south side of the mound there is a slight hollow which suggests that the mound was once partially excavated. Seven metres to the west the second barrow has a much slighter mound 13m in diameter and 0.25m high. The surrounding quarry ditch has become infilled and survives as a buried feature c.2m wide. The third barrow is a further 7m to the west, the mound measuring 24m in diameter and 1.3m high. The construction of the mound includes a revetment of large pieces of stone 5m in from the edge. This is likely to be where the original perimeter of the mound was, the sand having spread from its constraints. Surrounding the mound the quarry ditch survives as a buried feature c.3m wide. A hollow in the west side of the mound suggests that the barrow was once partially excavated.

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:

20040

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Grinsell, L V, Sussex Archaeological Collections in Sussex Barrows, Vol. 75, (1934)

Other
Ordnance Survey, SU 82 SW 6, (1970)

End of official list entry

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