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 monument includes a bowl barrow located in a slight saddle on the crest of
a broad low ridge 510m north of Latham Hall. It survives as a slightly
oval earth and stone mound up to 2m high with maximum dimensions of 27m by
26.5m. A central pit 4m diameter and 0.4m deep is the site of limited
antiquarian investigation. On the south-east side of the mound is a recently
backfilled trench measuring 5m by 2.5m that marks the site of a 1959
excavation, and nearby is an area of partial robbing or quarrying. The 19th
century investigation located a rock-cut grave containing an inhumation
together with a bronze dagger and a flint artifact. Above this grave were
animal bones and flints and above these, near the surface of the barrow, was
an extended inhumation. No finds were recovered during the 1959 work.
A signpost on the south-east side of the mound is excluded from the
scheduling. The ground beneath it, however, is included.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
13578
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals Other
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
