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 a group of nine bowl barrows which together form the
major part of a linear round barrow cemetery known as Newton Barrows on Earl's
Farm Down. Six of the barrows are arranged in a line broadly north east to
south west along the summit of a ridge on a north west facing slope. A further
two barrows are situated below the ridge, south east of the main row and a
third is located west of the most northerly barrow in the main row. All of the
barrows survive as earthworks with mounds ranging in size from 22m to 30m in
diameter and from 0.8m to 3m high. All are surrounded by ditches from which
material was quarried during their construction. These have become largely
infilled over the years and survive as either a shallow depression or as a
buried feature visible on aerial photographs. The quarry ditches range in
width from 2m to 3.5m. The most southerly barrow of the group has been
destroyed on its south side by the cutting of the now dismantled Amesbury
Light Railway, although the north side survives as a low mound and buried
ditches are visible in the railway cutting. One of the barrow mounds supports
a World War II gun emplacement. This is included within the scheduling.
A further bowl barrow which forms an outlier to the main core of the cemetery
is located 80m to the south east and is the subject of a separate scheduling.
All fence posts are excluded from the scheduling although the ground beneath
these features is included.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
28925
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals
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
