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 two bowl barrows located on a slight, undulating slope
above a south facing scarp which overlooks the minor road between Rising Lodge
and Roydon. The barrows lie c.20m apart on a north-south alignment and are
visible as roughly circular earthen mounds. The northern mound, constructed on
a small natural knoll, is c.1m in height and covers an area c.20m in diameter.
The second mound, to the south, stands on the edge of the scarp and has
approximately the same dimensions. It is probable that each of the mounds is
encircled by a ditch from which earth was dug and used in the construction of
the barrow, although these have become infilled and can no longer be traced on
the ground surface. They will, however, survive as buried features. The two
barrows are associated with a third, which lies c.70m to the west and is the
subject of a separate scheduling.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
21356
Legacy System:
RSM
End of official list entry
