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 Bronze Age bowl barrow on Huggate Wold, situated
approximately 2km south west of Fridaythorpe Village and 840m ENE of
Watermanhole Reservoir. The barrow is one of a group of several bowl barrows
which survive in close proximity in this area, which together form part of a
much larger group of barrows dispersed across Huggate Wold and Huggate
Pasture.
Although altered over the years by agricultural activity which has reduced the
height of the mound and spread its surface area, the barrow is still visible
as a low mound up to 0.4m in height and c.25m in diameter. It is surrounded by
a ditch c.3m wide which, although infilled by ploughing and no longer visible
at ground level, will survive as a buried feature.
The monument was originally part of a much larger cemetery of 20 barrows
existing close to an ancient trackway, which itself is related to the ancient
greenway in the Wolds of East Yorkshire, now known as the Wolds Way. The
barrow is around 700m north west of the linear bank system of Horse Dale, and
should be viewed in the context of the wider ancient landscape, where very
extensive systems of banks, dykes and hollow ways link large tracts of the
countryside in this area of the Yorkshire Wolds.
The barrow was partly excavated by J R Mortimer on 11 September 1882, who
discovered a scattered heap of burnt human bones within an area of burnt earth
and wood ashes on the original land surface beneath the centre of the barrow
mound. Finds included a flint scraper and other smaller splinters of black
flint. The barrow was thought to have been subject to an earlier excavation as
evidence of a previous opening was found.
A modern post and wire fence contained in a hedge to the north west of the
barrow, together with a modern bar gate, are excluded from the scheduling,
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:
26548
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
