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 barrow 870m southwest of Charterhouse Warren Farm survives well despite an
area of localised disturbance possibly caused by a previous excavation. It is
likely that the primary burial, the ditch fills, and much of the barrow mound
remain intact. The bowl barrow therefore has potential for the recovery of
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
exhibits 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 located on level ground 870m southwest of
Charterhouse Warren Farm. It comprises a barrow mound 16m in diameter and
c.0.75m 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. A slight central depression may
mark the site of a previous excavation. 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:
13832
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), 91 Tratman, E K, 'Proceedings of the Univ of Bristol Speleological Society' in Fieldwork, , Vol. Vol 2(3), (1925), 284
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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