Reasons for Designation
Round barrow cemeteries date to the Bronze Age (c.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, occasionally associated with earlier
long barrows. Where large scale investigation has been undertaken around them,
contemporary or later "flat" burials between the barrow mounds have often been
revealed. Round barrow cemeteries occur across most of lowland Britain, with a
marked concentration in Wessex. In some cases, they are clustered around other
important contemporary monuments such as henges. Often occupying prominent
locations, they are a major historic element in the modern landscape, whilst
their diversity and their longevity as a monument type provide important
information on the variety of beliefs and social organisation amongst early
prehistoric communities. They are particularly representative of their period
and a substantial proportion of surviving or partly-surviving examples are
considered worthy of protection.
Details
The monument includes six bowl barrows situated upon a ridge known as
Blacknoll Hill, overlooking Knighton Heath to the south, Winfrith Heath to the
north and the Frome Valley to the east. The barrows form the core of a wider
group of 12 which, together, form a round barrow cemetery on the western part
of Winfrith Heath.
The barrows each have a mound composed of earth, sand and turf, with maximum
dimensions of between 11m-22m in diameter and between c.0.75m-1.5m in height.
Each mound is surrounded by a ditch from which material was quarried during
the construction of the monument. The ditches have become infilled over the
years, but each will survive as a buried feature about 2m wide.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
28398
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
