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 one of a group of two bowl barrows, known locally as
`The Butt Hills', reflecting their probable reuse in the medieval period
as butts for archery practice.
The barrow is located in the playing field of the East Yorkshire College of
Further Education, close to a paved footpath, and lies around 100m to the east
of the other Butt Hills barrow.
The monument is visible as a low grassed mound about 1m in height, and
measuring c.13m in diameter, surrounded by a ditch c.2m wide, which is visible
as a slight depression encircling the mound. The barrows are named from the
tradition that they were at one time reused as archery butts for local people
to practise on Sundays, after mass, although the veracity of this has not been
confirmed.
The surface of the modern tarmac pathway which crosses the northward side of
the monument is excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath it
is included.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
26513
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
