Reasons for Designation
A hlaew is a burial monument of Anglo-Saxon or Viking date and comprising a
hemispherical mound of earth and redeposited bedrock constructed over a
primary burial or burials. These were usually inhumations, buried in a grave
cut into the subsoil beneath the mound, but cremations placed on the old
ground surface beneath the mound have also been found. Hlaews may occur
in pairs or in small groups; a few have accompanying flat graves. Constructed
during the pagan Saxon and Viking periods for individuals of high rank, they
served as visible and ostentatious markers of their social position. Some
were associated with territorial claims and appear to have been specifically
located to mark boundaries. They often contain objects which give information
on the range of technological skill and trading contacts of the period. Only
between 50 and 60 hlaews have been positively identified in England. As a
rare monument class all positively identified examples are considered worthy
of preservation.
Details
The monument includes an Anglo-Saxon hlaew or burial mound, situated 450m
north west of University Farm, west of the village of Lew. The barrow lies on
a small round hill and is visible from all directions.
The mound measures 30m in diameter and stands up to 2.8m high. It is
constructed of stone, collected from the local area, and turf. Its profile is
now slightly irregular due to limited disturbance by burrowing animals and
natural erosion over time. There is no evidence of a ditch around the mound
itself; this is a common feature of hlaews in the county. The 1830 edition of
the Ordnance Survey map shows that the small ditched enclosure in which the
barrow stands was then known as Barrow Grove.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
28150
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
