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 on the summit of Musden Low. It
survives as a sub-circular flat-topped mound up to 1.5m high. Part of the
southeastern side of the mound has been removed by quarrying leaving the
surviving portion of the barrow measuring 30m northeast-southwest by 16m
northwest-southeast. The centre of the barrow contains a low mound 3.5m
diameter by 0.3m high and surrounded by a shallow ditch that was the site of a
triangulation pillar. This pillar has now been relocated adjacent to the
north western side of the barrow. Limited antiquarian investigations at the
monument's centre located an inhumation, a cremation, a cist containing a
cremation, human bones, fused lead, flint artefacts, and pottery sherds
ranging in date from Prehistoric to Romano-British.
The triangulation pillar is excluded from the scheduling but the ground
beneath it is included.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
13550
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
