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.
Details
Haddon Fields is situated on the eastern shelves south of Wye Dale on the
limestone plateau of Derbyshire. The monument includes the southernmost of
two bowl barrows on Haddon Fields and is a sub-circular cairn measuring 20m by
18m by 0.6m high. The profile of the barrow has been lowered by stone-
robbing, probably at the time of the Enclosures, and its form has been
somewhat distorted by ploughing, as can be seen by the remains of ridge and
furrow which surround the monument and truncate its edges. The stone-robbers
uncovered a drystone walled cist containing two skeletons and an urn. In
addition, in 1824, a partial excavation carried out by W Bateman and
S Mitchell led to the discovery of another cist containing bones from both
inhumations and cremations. These were accompanied by the sherds of four
urns, some dog's teeth and a number of Roman coins. Apart from the latter,
the finds indicate a Bronze Age date for the barrow. The coins were a later
insertion, dating to the Romano-British period. Another hoard was found near
the centre of the barrow, along with lead ore and part of a glass vessel.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
13362
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
