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 situated on the tip of a low
spur in the chalk hills providing wide views over lower ground to the north
east towards the village of Ickeleton and the valley of the River Cam or
Granta. The barrow is now contained within a small copse, in the absence of
which it would have served as a conspicuous local landmark.
The barrow is circular in plan measuring 24m in diameter, and surviving to a
height of 0.9m-1.2m. The top of the mound appears flattened although the
angles of the surrounding slopes indicate that much of the original profile is
retained. A slight depression in the centre of the mound may mark the location
of a small scale excavation carried out by students from Cambridge before
1914. The surrounding ditch, from which material for the mound was originally
quarried, is now completely infilled. However, an aerial photograph taken in
1988 shows part of the ditch as a ploughmark extending slightly beyond the
south western edge of the copse.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
27167
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
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
