Bowl barrow forming part of a round barrow cemetery 120m north of the Devizes to Beckhampton road on North Down

Reasons for Designation

A small number of areas in southern England appear to have acted as foci for ceremonial and ritual activity during the Neolithic and Early Bronze Age periods. Two of the best known and earliest recognised, with references in the 17th century, are around Avebury and Stonehenge, now jointly designated as a World Heritage Site. In the Avebury area, the henge monument itself, the West Kennet Avenue, the Sanctuary, West Kennet long barrow, Windmill Hill causewayed enclosure and the enigmatic Silbury Hill are well-known. Whilst the other Neolithic long barrows, the many Bronze Age round barrows and other associated sites are less well-known, together they define one of the richest and most varied areas of Neolithic and Bronze Age ceremonial and ritual monuments in the country. Round barrow cemeteries date to the Bronze Age (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 and occasionally associated with earlier long barrows. Where investigation beyond the round barrows has occurred, contemporary or later `flat' burials between the barrow mounds have often been revealed. Round barrow cemeteries occur across most of lowland England with a marked concentration in Wessex. In some cases they are clustered around other important contemporary monuments, as is the case both here and at Stonehenge. Often occupying prominent locations, they are a major historic element in the modern landscape, while their diversity and their longevity as a monument type provide important information on the variety of beliefs and social organisation amongst early prehistoric communities. All examples are considered worthy of protection.

Despite having been levelled by cultivation, the bowl barrow forming part of the cemetery on North Down is known from aerial photographs to survive and will contain archaeological and environmental evidence relating to its construction and the landscape in which it was built.

Details

The monument includes a levelled bowl barrow forming part of a round barrow cemetery 120m north of the Devizes to Beckhampton road on North Down. The cemetery contains six barrows in all, including three bell barrows and three bowl barrows. All lie in a gentle east to west facing trough on the down, overlooked by other groups of barrows. The barrow mound has been reduced by cultivation and is no longer visible at ground level. However, from aerial photographs and previous observations it is known to measure c.21m in diameter and to have stood up to 1m high. Surrounding the mound is a quarry ditch from which material was obtained during its construction. This has become infilled over the years but survives as a buried feature c.2.5m wide. Excluded from the scheduling is the post and wire boundary fence which runs north to south across it although the ground beneath is included.

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:

21856

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
Title: Ordnance Survey 1:10000 Series Source Date: 1980 Author: Publisher: Surveyor: SU 06 NE
SU 06 NE 700, C.A.O., BOWL BARROW, (1980)
SMR REFERENCE NUMBER FROM AP FILE, Wiltshire SMR AP A16/221275,

End of official list entry

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