Reasons for Designation
Round barrow cemeteries date to the Bronze Age (c.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, occasionally associated with earlier
long barrows. Where large scale investigation has been undertaken around them,
contemporary or later "flat" burials between the barrow mounds have often been
revealed. Round barrow cemeteries occur across most of lowland Britain, with a
marked concentration in Wessex. In some cases, they are clustered around other
important contemporary monuments such as henges. Often occupying prominent
locations, they are a major historic element in the modern landscape, whilst
their diversity and their longevity as a monument type provide important
information on the variety of beliefs and social organisation amongst early
prehistoric communities. They are particularly representative of their period
and a substantial proportion of surviving or partly-surviving examples are
considered worthy of protection.
Details
The monument includes three ditched Bronze Age bowl barrows, part of a
cemetery containing at least 12 round barrows which lie on level ground
close to the Andover Lodge of Cholderton Park.
The largest and most westerly of the barrows has a mound 30m in diameter and
2.6m high, on the summit of which is a pronounced central hollow 5m in
diameter and 0.3m deep, representing the remains of an unrecorded antiquarian
excavation. The mound is surrounded by a ditch from which material was
quarried during its construction. Where visible on the north side of the
barrow mound, the ditch is 6m wide and a maximum of 0.3m deep.
To the east is a smaller barrow, which is partly crossed by the park road.
This has a low mound approximately 8m in diameter and 0.3m high surrounded by
a ditch 3m wide and 0.2m deep. There are traces of a low external bank on the
south west side of the ditch.
To the south is a barrow which has a mound 24m in diameter and 0.8m high. The
mound is surrounded by a ditch, traces of which can be seen on the ground but
which survives for the majority of its circuit as a buried feature
approximately 3m wide.
Excluded from the scheduling are all fence posts, gate posts, road and track
surfaces and the entrance gate piers and associated walls, although the ground
beneath these features is included.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
26736
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals
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
