Reasons for Designation
Bowl barrows, the most numerous form of round barrow, are funerary monuments
dating from the Late Neolithic period to the Late Bronze Age, with most
examples belonging to the period 2400-1500 BC. They were constructed as
earthen or rubble mounds, sometimes ditched, which covered single or multiple
burials. They occur either in isolation or grouped as cemeteries and often
acted as a focus for burials in later periods. Often superficially similar,
although differing widely in size, they exhibit regional variations in form
and a diversity of burial practices. There are over 10,000 surviving bowl
barrows recorded nationally (many more have already been destroyed), occurring
across most of lowland Britain. Often occupying prominent locations, they are
a major historic element in the modern landscape and their considerable
variation of form and longevity as a monument type provide important
information on the diversity of beliefs and social organisations amongst early
prehistoric communities. They are particularly representative of their period
and a substantial proportion of surviving examples are considered worthy of
protection.
Details
The monument includes a bowl barrow set at the head of a steep-sided dry
valley in an area of undulating chalk downland known as Marlborough Downs.
The barrow mound is 15m in diameter and stands to a height of 1m. A shallow
depression, 4m across and 0.2m deep, in the centre of the mound suggests
partial excavation of the site, probably in the late 19th century. A ditch,
from which mound material was quarried, surrounds the barrow mound. This is
no longer visible at ground level, having been infilled over the years, but
survives as a buried feature c.3m wide. The barrow mound has been used as a
dump for large sarsen blocks recovered from surrounding fields.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
12211
Legacy System:
RSM
End of official list entry
