Long barrow 170m south west of triangulation pillar on White Sheet Hill

Reasons for Designation

Long barrows were constructed as earthen or drystone mounds with flanking ditches and acted as funerary monuments during the Early and Middle Neolithic periods (3400-2400 BC). They represent the burial places of Britain's early farming communities and, as such, are amongst the oldest field monuments surviving visibly in the present landscape. Where investigated, long barrows appear to have been used for communal burial, often with only parts of the human remains having been selected for interment. Certain sites provide evidence for several phases of funerary monument preceding the barrow and, consequently, it is probable that long barrows acted as important ritual sites for local communities over a considerable period of time. Some 500 examples of long barrows and long cairns, their counterparts in the uplands, are recorded nationally. As one of the few types of Neolithic structure to survive as earthworks, and due to their comparative rarity, their considerable age and their longevity as a monument type, all long barrows are considered to be nationally important.

The long barrow 170m south west of the triangulation pillar on White Sheet Hill is a well preserved example of its class situated in a prominent position immediately adjacent to a public right of way. Despite some minor disturbance the barrow exhibits a largely original profile with pronounced quarry ditches flanking the impressive mound. In addition the barrow will include archaeological remains containing information about Neolithic burial traditions, economy and environment.

Details

The monument includes a long barrow lying in a prominent position immediately south west of the highest point of White Sheet Hill. The barrow includes a mound 42m long and a maximum of 23m wide, aligned WSW-ENE. The mound is 2m high at its uphill (easterly) end, rising to over 2.5m high at the downslope end. The mound has a central disturbance c.5m in diameter and 0.7m deep, from which excavated material has been tipped down its southern flank. Although this disturbance may be the result of an antiquarian excavation there are no records of the barrow having been investigated. The mound is flanked by clearly defined ditches, a maximum of 6m wide and 1m deep from which material for its construction was quarried. 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.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

26812

Legacy System:

RSM

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