Five bowl barrows 500m north of Longcross Pond forming part of the Black Bush Plain round barrow cemetery

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.

The Black Bush Plain round barrow cemetery contains a significantly large number of small undisturbed barrows. The survival of so many small barrows within a cemetery is particularly uncommon in southern England. Although some of the larger mounds have been partially disturbed, all the barrows retain undisturbed remains and the cemetery as a whole has considerable archaeological potential. The New Forest region is known to have been important in terms of lowland Bronze Age occupation and a considerable amount of archaeological evidence has survived because of a lack of agricultural activity, the result of later climatic deterioration, development of heath and the establishment of a Royal Forest.

Details

This monument includes five bowl barrows situated on lowland heath and forming part of the Black Bush Plain round barrow cemetery. Although no longer visible at ground level, a ditch, from which material was quarried during the construction of each barrow, surrounds every mound. These have become infilled over the years but survive as buried features. From north to south, the barrows can be described as follows:

(SU 24831573) The barrow mound measures 10.5m in diameter and 0.6m high. A hollow in the centre of the mound suggests previous robbing or partial excavation.

(SU 24851571) The barrow mound measures 5m in diameter and 0.2m high. This barrow has seen limited damage by vehicular traffic.

(SU 24861570) The barrow mound measures 7m in diameter and 0.25m high.

(SU 24861569) The barrow mound measures 11m in diameter and 0.7m high. A small hollow on the northern edge of the mound suggests robbing or partial excavation.

(SU 24861568) The barrow mound measures 9m in diameter and 0.5m high. The eastern edge of the barrow has been clipped by a track.

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:

20304

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Grinsell, L V, Proceedings of the Hampshire Field Club in Hampshire Barrows, Vol. 14, (1938), 357

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