Round barrow cemetery comprising six bowl barrows north-west of King's Hat Inclosure

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.

The round barrow cemetery north-west of King's Hat Inclosure is the best preserved example in the New Forest. Furthermore, it lies within an area known to have been important in terms of lowland Bronze Age occupation. A considerable amount of archaeological evidence has survived in this area because of a lack of agricultural activity, the result of later climatic deterioration, development of heath and the establishment of a Royal Forest.

Details

This monument includes a cluster of six bowl barrows forming a nuclear cemetery and situated on the brow of a low promontory overlooking the valley of the River Beaulieu. The largest barrow is the most northerly of the group and measures 21m in diameter and stands up to 1.4m high. A hollow in the mound centre measuring 4m long by 1.2m wide and up to 0.25m deep suggests previous robbing or early partial exploration of the mound. Although no longer visible at ground level, a ditch, from which material was quarried during construction of the monument, surrounds the barrow mound. This has become infilled over the years but survives as a buried feature c.2m wide. Three further barrows survive to the south-west. The mound of the nearest measures 6m in diameter and stands up to 0.8m high. A ditch surrounding the mound survives as an earthwork, 1.3m wide and 0.2m deep, except on the east side of the mound where a 1m wide causeway exists. There is a slight bank on the western exterior edge of this ditch. Two metres west of this barrow is another mound which measures 6.5m in diameter and 1m high. A ditch surrounding the mound survives as an earthwork 1.2m wide and 0.2m deep. Two metres south of this barrow is another mound measuring 5.5m in diameter and 0.6m high. A ditch surrounding the mound survives as a 1m wide and 0.2m deep earthwork. The remaining two barrows lie to the south-east of the largest barrow. The nearest mound measures 4m in diameter and 0.3m high. The surrounding ditch survives as a buried feature. Three metres south-east of this barrow is another mound measuring 5.5m in diameter and 0.6m high. A ditch surrounding the mound survives as a buried feature c.1m wide. Of the five smaller barrow mounds, three have central hollows which suggest either previous robbing or partial early excavation. The areas between the barrows may contain flat graves or an urnfield.

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:

20215

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Grinsell, L V, Proceedings of the Hampshire Field Club in Hampshire Barrows, Vol. 14, (1938)

Other
Darvill, T.C., Monument Class Description - Round Barrow Cemeteries, 1988,
Hampshire County Planning Department, SU 30 NE 30E,

End of official list entry

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