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 bowl barrow in Ruins Plantation 200m east of The
Retreat on a north facing slope just below the crest of the hill. The barrow
has a mound which is 16m in diameter and c.1.5m high. There is a large crater
in the centre of the mound, c.5m in diameter and c.1m deep resulting from
previous unrecorded excavations. The surrounding ditch, from which material
was quarried for the construction of the mound, survives as a buried feature
c.3m wide, with intermittent traces visible on the ground.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
27383
Legacy System:
RSM
End of official list entry
