Two bowl barrows at Two Burrows, 200m north east of Fair-View Farm, Allet

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.

Despite having been reduced at some time in the past by cultivation, the bowl barrows at Allet survive as recognisable mounds and will contain archaeological and environmental evidence relating to the period and landscape in which they were built.

Details

The monument includes two plough-reduced Bronze Age bowl barrows situated on a spur of high ground between tributaries of the River Allen to the north and the River Kenwyn to the south, at Two Burrows, Allet. These two barrows almost certainly gave their name to the area. The diameter of the mounds prior to cultivation was in both cases 21m though they have since been spread; this is particularly noticeable in the case of the south westernmost mound where mound material has been spread to the south. The south westernmost mound survives in height to a little under 1m whilst its neighbour to the north east survives in height to about 0.5m.

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:

29603

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Warner, R, Cornish Archaeology in Parish of Kenwyn, (1965)
Warner, R, Cornish Archaeology in Parish of Kenwyn, (1965)

End of official list entry

Print the official list entry