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.
Five of the round barrows 320m north west of The Pheasant Hotel forming part
of a wider cemetery are comparatively well preserved examples which, despite
erosion caused by cultivation, still exhibit a recognisable profile. All of
the barrows in this group will contain archaeological remains providing
information about Bronze Age beliefs, economy and environment.
Details
The monument includes eight round barrows and the site of a possible ninth
which together form part of a round barrow cemetery located on the side of a
shallow dry valley on the eastern side of Winterslow Firs 320m north west of
The Pheasant Hotel. The barrows are part of a wider but scattered group, known
as the Winterslow Hut group, which includes examples on the opposite side and
head of the coombe. Some of these additional barrows are the subject of
separate schedulings.
Two of the barrows in this scheduling survive as substantial upstanding
earthworks. Of these, the most northerly example is a bowl barrow which has a
mound approximately 23m in diameter. The western side of this survives within
Winterslow Firs to a height of 0.8m where traces of a quarry ditch c.3m wide
can be recognised. The eastern side of the mound has been reduced by
cultivation and on this side the ditch survives as a buried feature. The most
southerly barrow has also been similarly truncated by cultivation and survives
best within Winterslow Firs. Here the western half of the mound, which is
approximately 25m in diameter, survives to a height of 1.2m. Traces of a
quarry ditch c.3m wide can be seen within the woodland while on the eastern
side of the barrow the ditch will survive as a buried feature.
To the east of Winterslow Firs a further three barrows are visible as low
mounds, ranging in size from 20m to 30m. Each is surrounded by a quarry ditch
which, although no longer visible on the surface, will survive as a buried
feature c.3m wide.
The monument also includes the sites of a further three now levelled barrows,
the quarry ditches of which appear on aerial photographs. A low mound which
lies within the group of barrows has been identified as a fourth example but
aerial photographs show no evidence of a quarry ditch.
The sites of at least four additional barrows are thought to lie to the south
and south east of the monument. These however, cannot be verified and have not
been included within the scheduling.
All fence posts are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath
these features is included.
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.
