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. Bell barrows, the most visually impressive form of
round barrow, are funerary monuments dating to the Early and Middle Bronze
Age, with most examples belonging to the period 1600-1300 BC. They occur
either in isolation or in round barrow cemeteries and were constructed as
single or multiple mounds covering burials, often in pits, and surrounded by
an enclosure ditch. The burials are frequently accompanied by weapons,
personal ornaments and pottery and appear to be those of aristocratic
individuals, usually men. Bell barrows are rare nationally, with less than 250
known examples, most of which are in Wessex. All examples are considered
worthy of protection.
Details
The monument includes a bell barrow situated on the edge of Bishop's
Cannings Down and Easton Down on a gentle north east facing slope. The barrow
has a central mound, which, despite having been reduced by cultivation,
survives as a slight rise 18m in diameter and 0.2m high, clearly visible as a
chalk spread in the ploughsoil.
Previous records of the monument suggest that, originally, the mound measured
c.20m in diameter and was surrounded by a c.4m wide berm. Surrounding the
berm, but infilled by cultivation, is a quarry ditch c.3m wide from which
material was obtained during the construction of the mound. Although no longer
visible at ground level, the ditch can be seen on aerial photographs as a
soilmark.
The barrow was partially excavated by Thurnham in the 19th century who found
burnt human bones, a fragment of black pottery and a number of ox teeth.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
21866
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals 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
