Two bowl barrows in Square Plantation

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 two bowl barrows in Square Plantation survive well and appear to have suffered no damage other than disturbance caused by fallen trees and animal burrowing. Evidence concerning their construction, the manner and duration of their use, and also the local environment, at and prior to the time of their construction, will be preserved in the barrow mounds and in the soils preserved beneath them. The importance of the individual barrows is enhanced by their proximity to each other and by the fact that they are within a group of five which has been preserved in the vicinity, the others being situated respectively 900m to the north-east and 760m to the north-west.

Details

The monument includes two bowl barrows in north-south alignment, situated on level ground north of the Hundred River and visible as earthen mounds. The southern mound stands to a height of 1.3m and covers a circular area with a maximum diameter of 22m; the second mound, c.44m to the north of this, measures c.1m in height and 23m in diameter.

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:

21276

Legacy System:

RSM

End of official list entry

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