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 three contiguous bowl barrows orientated east-west and
set below the crest of a steep north-facing escarpment. The western barrow
mound is 9m across and stands to a height of 1m. Surrounding it is a ditch
from which the mound material was quarried. This is visible to the south-east
as a low earthwork 4m wide and 0.4m deep, and survives elsewhere as a buried
feature. The central mound has a diameter of 13m and a height of 1.5m.
The ditch is visible as an earthwork, 4m wide and 0.3m deep, to the south of
the mound and survives as a buried feature elsewhere. The eastern barrow has
a diameter of 10m and is 1m high. The ditch abuts that of the central barrow
mound but is visible to the north, south and east to a depth of 0.5m and a
width of 4m. All the mounds were partially excavated in 1908. Finds included
two cremation burials and a selection of artefacts including pottery and flint
tools.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
12070
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Other
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
