Bowl barrow 200m east of East Kennett long barrow forming part of a barrow cemetery

Overview

Heritage Category: Scheduled Monument

List Entry Number: 1014036

Date first listed: 12-Mar-1996

Location

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

National Grid Reference: SU 11813 66888

Summary

Legacy Record - This information may be included in the List Entry Details.

Reasons for Designation

A small number of areas in southern England appear to have acted as foci for ceremonial and ritual activity during the Neolithic and Early Bronze Age periods. Two of the best known and earliest recognised, with references in the 17th century, are around Avebury and Stonehenge, now jointly designated as a World Heritage Site. In the Avebury area, the henge monument itself, the West Kennet Avenue, the Sanctuary, West Kennet long barrow, Windmill Hill causewayed enclosure and the enigmatic Silbury Hill are well-known. Whilst the other Neolithic long barrows, the many Bronze Age round barrows and other associated sites are less well-known, together they define one of the richest and most varied areas of Neolithic and Bronze Age ceremonial and ritual monuments in the country. Round barrow cemeteries date to the Bronze Age (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 and occasionally associated with earlier long barrows. Where investigation beyond the round barrows has occurred, contemporary or later `flat' burials between the barrow mounds have often been revealed. Round barrow cemeteries occur across most of lowland England with a marked concentration in Wessex. In some cases they are clustered around other important contemporary monuments, as is the case both here and at Stonehenge. Often occupying prominent locations, they are a major historic element in the modern landscape, while their diversity and their longevity as a monument type provide important information on the variety of beliefs and social organisation amongst early prehistoric communities. All examples are considered worthy of protection.

Despite having been reduced by cultivation, the bowl barrow east of East Kennett long barrow survives as a visible earthwork and will contain archaeological and environmental evidence relating to the cemetery and the landscape in which it was built.

History

Legacy Record - This information may be included in the List Entry Details.

Details

The monument includes a bowl barrow, situated 200m east of East Kennett long barrow and forming part of a round barrow cemetery clustered around it. The cemetery contains a total of five round barrows and is one of a number located on the Downs south of Avebury. The barrow has a mound which has been reduced in height by cultivation but survives as a spread of material 40m in diameter and 0.3m high. Surrounding the original extent of the mound is a 2m wide quarry ditch from which material was obtained during its construction. This survives as a buried feature below the spread of mound material.

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: 28103

Legacy System: RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Grinsell, L V, 'A History of Wiltshire' in Bowl Barrows, , Vol. 1,1, (1957), 172
Other
SU 16 NW 010, R.C.H.M.(E), Tumulus N.E. of E. Kennet Long barrow, (1974)
SU16NW 638, C.A.O., Bowl barrow, (1975)

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 Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.