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.
The bowl barrow 450m east of Dennet's Bottom Barn, although reduced in height
by ploughing, is known from part excavation to contain archaeological remains,
providing information about Bronze Age burial practices, economy and
environment.
Details
The monument includes the remains of a bowl barrow, originally one of two
barrows on a south facing slope near Milborne Wood. The barrow has a mound
which has been reduced in height by ploughing although it is visible as a low
earthwork, c.16m in diameter and 0.2m high. There is no clear indication of a
quarry ditch surrounding the mound, although there are slight depressions on
both the uphill and downhill sides, and it will survive as a buried feature
c.2m wide. This barrow was probably opened in 1883 when a cremation in an urn,
probably a secondary burial, was found.
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.