Three bowl barrows 250m west of Andover Lodge: part of a round barrow cemetery in Barrow Field Clumps, Cholderton Park

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.

The three bowl barrows 250m west of the Andover Lodge in Cholderton Park are well preserved examples of their class. The barrows exhibit a largely original profile with, in each case, a pronounced ditch surrounding the substantial mound. All three barrows will contain archaeological remains providing information about Bronze Age burial practices, economy and environment.

Details

The monument includes three large 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. Each of the three barrows has a mound, surrounded by a ditch from which material was quarried during its construction. The most northerly of the barrows is 26m in diameter and 1.8m high, with a ditch 5m wide and 0.4m deep. The western barrow is 26m in diameter and 1.7m high, with a ditch 7m wide and 0.5m deep, and the eastern is 29m in diameter and 1.8m high, with a ditch 5m wide and 0.5m deep. Excluded from the scheduling are all fence posts, although the ground beneath them is included.

MAP EXTRACT The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract. It includes a 2 metre boundary around the archaeological features, considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

26734

Legacy System:

RSM

End of official list entry

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