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 small, well preserved Bronze Age bowl barrow situated
near the summit of Lodge Hill, a prominent knoll rising from the valley floor
between Bledlow Ridge and Hemley Hill.
The circular mound has a diameter of c.14m and stands to a height of 0.8m.
There is no evidence for an encircling quarry ditch, and it is thought that
the mound was created by gathering turf and soil from the surrounding
hillside. The barrow forms part of an extensive group of similar monuments
extending along the valley to the south west as far as Bradenham, and
including two bell barrows located on the northern side of Lodge Hill, some
500m to the north west. This alignment is thought to reflect the route of a
prehistoric trackway traversing the valley floor to the west of Lodge Hill and
leading towards Wain Hill on the northern edge of the Chiltern escarpment. It
is probably no coincidence that later settlements flank this route, including
an Iron Age settlement on the southern slopes of Lodge Hill and a Roman villa
some 700m further to the south (both the subject of separate schedulings).
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
27124
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
