Pair of bowl barrows forming part of a round barrow cemetery on Allington 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 these barrows having been reduced by cultivation, they do not appear to have been excavated and will contain archaeological and environmental remains relating to their construction and the landscape in which the cemetery was built.

Details

The monument includes a pair of Bronze Age bowl barrows, forming part of a linear round barrow cemetery containing six barrows in all, running from south west to north east across Allington Down. Both barrows are situated on what is believed to be an ancient boundary which now forms the boundary of two farm ownerships. The northern barrow mound has been reduced by cultivation but is visible as a low earthwork 13m in diameter standing up to 0.2m high. The southern barrow mound has also been reduced by cultivation and is no longer visible at ground level except as a slight stony spread c.12m in diameter. Surrounding both barrow mounds, but now infilled, lie quarry ditches c.2.5m wide which will survive as buried features below the modern ploughsoil and the dirt track running across the eastern side of the southern mound. A right of way runs along the western side of the current field boundary which crosses the site; both are believed to be originally of early date. Excluded from the scheduling is the post and wire boundary fence crossing the barrows from south west to north east 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:

21874

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Grinsell, L V, A History Of Wiltshire in Gazeteer, Vol. 1,1, (1957), 148
Grinsell, L V, A History Of WIltshire in Gazeteer, Vol. 1,1, (1957), 148

Other
Title: Devizes and Marlborough Source Date: 1987 Author: Publisher: Surveyor: Pathfinder 1185

End of official list entry

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