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.
Bowl barrows are the most numerous form of round barrow and comprise
hemispherical, sometimes ditched earthen or rubble mounds covering single or
multiple burials. Most examples were constructed during the Early Bronze Age,
between 2400-1500BC. There are over 10,000 surviving bowl barrows recorded
nationally (many more have been destroyed), occuring across most of lowland
Britain.
This linear group of three bowl barrows immediately east of Kithurst Hill car
park survives comparatively well, despite some subsequent disturbance, and
will retain archaeological remains and environmental evidence relating to the
construction and use of the monument. The barrows form part of a dispersed
group of broadly contemporary monuments situated along the ridge, providing
important evidence for the relationship between burial practices, settlement
and land division in this area of downland during the later prehistoric
period.
Details
The monument includes a linear group of three closely-spaced, east-west
aligned bowl barrows situated along a chalk ridge which forms part of the
Sussex Downs. The barrows, which records suggest have been partly levelled by
past ploughing, are part of a group of 13 constructed along this part of the
ridge, forming a dispersed, linear round barrrow cemetery.
The largest barrow of the three lies to the west and survives as a circular
mound c.11m in diameter and up to c.0.4m high. The central and eastern barrows
have mounds c.9m in diameter and up to c.0.3m high. Surrounding the mounds are
ditches from which material used to construct the barrows was excavated.
Long term use of the track which runs along the ridge has destroyed the
northern edge of the barrow ditches, and this area is therefore not included
in the scheduling. Elsewhere, the ditches will survive as now infilled, buried
features up to c.2m wide.
MAP EXTRACT
The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.
