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. The bowl barrow 40m north of Hill View survives well despite a localised
disturbance in the area of the quarry ditch caused by road construction. It
will contain archaeological and environmental evidence relating both to the
monument and the landscape in which it was constructed.
The importance of the monument is enhanced by its location in an area which
supports a concentration of contemporary burial monuments, thus giving an
indication of the nature and scale of human occupation during the Bronze Age
period.
Details
The monument includes a bowl barrow known as `Rowberrow' located 40m north of
Hill View. The barrow mound is 22m in diameter and c.2m high at its highest
point. Although no longer visible at ground level a ditch, from which
material was quarried during the construction of the monument, surrounds the
barrow mound. This has become infilled over the years but survives as a
buried feature c.3m wide on the west, north and east sides. To the south, the
barrow ditch has been destroyed by road construction and is excluded from the
scheduling. The barrow mound is crossed by a drystone wall running north to
south and a small section of drystone wall running east to west. A wooden
post and rail fence runs from the junction of the drystone walls in the
northeast to southwest across the barrow mound. The drystone walls and fence
are excluded from the scheduling although the ground beneath them is included. 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:
13855
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals Grinsell, L, 'Proceedings of the Somerset Archaeology and Natural Hist Soc' in Somerset Barrows Part II, , Vol. Vol 115, (1971), 111 Tratman, EK, 'Proceedings of the Univ of Bristol Speleological Society' in Proceedings of the University of Bristol Speleological Society, , Vol. Vol 3(1), (1927), 284Other Somerset Record Office DD.WG Box 14, Somerset Record Office DD. WG Box 14,
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.
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