Reasons for Designation
Round barrow cemeteries date to the Bronze Age (c.2000-700 BC). They comprise
closely-spaced groups of up to 30 round barrows - rubble or earthen mounds
covering single or multiple burials. Most cemeteries developed over a
considerable period of time, often many centuries, and in some cases acted as
a focus for burials as late as the early medieval period. They exhibit
considerable diversity of burial rite, plan and form, frequently including
several different types of round barrow, occasionally associated with earlier
long barrows. Where large scale investigation has been undertaken around them,
contemporary or later "flat" burials between the barrow mounds have often been
revealed. Round barrow cemeteries occur across most of lowland Britain, with a
marked concentration in Wessex. In some cases, they are clustered around other
important contemporary monuments such as henges. Often occupying prominent
locations, they are a major historic element in the modern landscape, whilst
their diversity and their longevity as a monument type provide important
information on the variety of beliefs and social organisation amongst early
prehistoric communities. They are particularly representative of their period
and a substantial proportion of surviving or partly-surviving examples are
considered worthy of protection.
Details
The monument includes two bowl barrows forming part of a round barrow
cemetery on Black Down, a gentle, north facing slope overlooking the South
Winterbourne valley, in an area of the South Dorset Downs.
The two barrows, which are aligned broadly north-south, were recorded by L V
Grinsell in 1959. The southern example had a mound 8m wide and c.1.5m high,
and the northern barrow had a mound 8m wide and c.0.6m high.
Both mounds have since been reduced by ploughing, although in each case
survive as buried features. The two mounds are each surrounded by a ditch
from which material was quarried during the construction of the monument.
These are no longer visible at ground level as they have become infilled over
the years, but both will survive as buried features c.2m wide.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
22937
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals
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.
End of official list entry
