Bowl barrow 950m SSW of Beckhampton Plantation, forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Horton 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.

The round barrow cemetery SSW of Beckhampton Plantation on Horton Down includes both bowl and saucer barrows dating from the Bronze Age. It is situated in an area of important funerary activity relating to the ritual complex centred on Avebury. Despite this barrow having been reduced by cultivation, it does not appear to have been excavated and will contain archaeological remains relating to its construction and the landscape in which it was built.

Details

The monument includes a Bronze Age bowl barrow situated 950m SSW of Beckhampton Plantation. It forms the southern outlier of a small round barrow cemetery containing five barrows in all, two of which are saucer barrows, situated on the north facing slope of Horton Down. The barrow mound has been reduced by cultivation but can still be seen as a low spread of stony soil 12m across and up to 0.2m high. Originally surrounding the mound, but no longer visible at ground level, was a quarry ditch from which material was obtained during its construction. This will survive as a 2.5m wide feature, buried below the modern ploughsoil.

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:

21873

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Grinsell, L V, A History Of WIltshire in Gazeteer, Vol. 1,1, (1957), 158

Other
Title: Ordnance Survey Map Source Date: 1926 Author: Publisher: Surveyor: 6" Series
SU06NE 608, CAO, Ploughed bowl barrow, (1979)

End of official list entry

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