Bowl barrow 290m north east of the junction of Bokerley Dyke and a linear earthwork on Martin Down

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 290m north east of the junction of Bokerley Dyke and a linear earthwork running to the north east is one of numerous Bronze Age monuments constructed on Martin Down. These have recently been the subject of a detailed survey by the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England. Despite the levelling of the barrow mound, the infilled quarry ditch and features underneath the mound will survive, containing archaeological and environmental information relating to the construction and use of the barrow.

Details

The monument includes a levelled Bronze Age bowl barrow on Martin Down. The site is on the southern side of an east facing dry valley. The barrow had a mound described as being 8.5m in diameter and 0.3m high in 1956, but recorded on other occasions as being marked by a change in vegetation only. Surrounding the area of the mound is a ditch from which material was quarried during the construction of the monument. This has become infilled over the years but survives as a buried feature c.2m wide. The overall diameter of the barrow, including the ditch, is 12.5m. There is no known record of excavation of the barrow, but it is likely that it was the subject of antiquarian excavation, as were the other barrows on Martin Down.

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:

25604

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Bowen, H C, Eagles, B N (ed), The archaeology of Bokerley Dyke, (1990)

Other
SU 01NE 1, (1984)

End of official list entry

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