Two bowl barrows 100m south east of Slocum Copse

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.

Despite partial excavation and later ploughing, the bowl barrows south east of Slocum Copse survive well and will contain archaeological remains and environmental evidence relating to the barrows and the landscape in which they were constructed. These barrows form part of the eastern group of round barrows which complete the sequence of Bronze Age burials along the central chalk ridge of the Isle of Wight.

Details

The monument includes two bowl barrows in a gently undulating downland setting. They lie on a sloping east facing ridge top with flanking valleys to the north and south. The bowl barrows have mounds which measure 38m and 28m in diameter with average heights of 1.75m and 0.7m respectively. Surrounding each mound is a ditch from which material was quarried during its construction. These can no longer be seen at ground level, having become infilled over the years, but survive as buried features c.7m and 5m wide. It is reported that a labourer remembered `various relics' including an ancient sword having been ploughed up near these barrows. The larger barrow was opened in 1928 by Mew and Wood Roberts, but no burial was found. Worked flints were found on the smaller barrow by E W Swanton in 1928. An excavation on this barrow, also by Mew and Wood Roberts, discovered a cremation 0.5ft above the natural chalk and sherds from a medieval cooking pot also appear to have been recorded as being from the barrow.

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:

22012

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Grinsell, , Sherwin, , Proceedings of the I.O.W. Nat History and Archaeological Soc in Procedings of the I.O.W. Nat History and Archaeological Soc, (1940), 206-7
Grinsell, , Sherwin, , Proceedings of the I.O.W. Nat History and Archaeological Soc in Procedings of the I.O.W. Nat History and Archaeological Soc, (1940), 206-7
Kell, , Journal of the British Archaeological Association in Journal of the British Archaeological Association, Vol. 2, (1855), 312

Other
Title: County Council Museum 6" Map Source Date: Author: Publisher: Surveyor:
Title: County Council Museum 6" Map Source Date: Author: Publisher: Surveyor:

End of official list entry

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