Hanging Bank bowl barrow

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 limited antiquarian investigations at the monument's centre Hanging Bank bowl barrow survives well. These investigations located human and faunal remains, pottery, flint and bone artefacts, and further similar evidence of interments and grave goods will exist within the mound and upon the old landsurface.

Details

The monument includes Hanging Bank bowl barrow located at the southwestern end of the summit ridge of Ecton Hill. It survives as a slightly oval earthen mound up to 1.3m high with maximum dimensions of 20m by 19m. The central area of the barrow has a hollow measuring 9m diameter and up to 0.6m deep that is a product of limited antiquarian investigations. These investigations located three cremations, one of which had been placed in an urn, two inhumations, flint and bone artefacts, pottery, red ochre, and animal remains including antler, horse teeth and boar tusk.

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:

13561

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Barnatt, J, The Peak District Barrow Survey (1989), (1989)
Bateman, , Ten Years Digging (1861), (1861), 147
Bateman, , Ten Years Digging (1861), (1861), 111

Other
Bateman, Illustrations of Antiquity (Unpub volume of drawings), Sheffield City Museum
Carrington, Barrow Diggers (Unpub MS with letters and notes), 1848,
Carrington, Barrow Diggers (Unpub MS with letters and notes), 1848,
Darvill,T., MPP Single Monument Class Description - Bowl Barrows, (1988)
Bateman, Desc & Obs Further Discoveries in the Barrows of Derbyshire,
Bateman, Desc & Obs Further Discoveries in the Barrows of Derbyshire,
Plot, Plot, (1686)

End of official list entry

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