Round barrow on Sleights Pasture

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.

Although the monument has been partially disturbed it is still an important example containing further archaeological remains.

Details

The monument is situated on the edge of a limestone terrace which forms a natural bank on the west side. The barrow mound measures 24m in diameter and reaches a height of 1.5m and, although much robbed and disturbed, is still very impressive. It is surrounded by traces of a ditch 2m wide and an outer kerb which on the north side includes large blocks of stone up to 0.9m long and standing 0.5m high. The stones in the outer banks and in the west face of the remaining portion of the mound are still exposed; the rest of the monument is covered with rough grass. Linear banks are discernible radiating from the cairn in various directions, mostly discontinuous. The best preserved linear bank abuts the barrow on its west side and runs due north-south for 36m. It is 6m wide, grass covered but with stones showing. The exact function of these linear banks and their relationship to the barrow are not yet fully understood and hence they are not included in the scheduling.

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:

24492

Legacy System:

RSM

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