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.
Details
The monument includes a Bronze Age bowl barrow situated on the summit of a
hill to the north east of Halwill overlooking the valleys of two tributaries
of the River Carey to the north and east. The upland area in which it lies
supports a concentration of barrows, most of which are situated on ridges.
The monument survives as an elongated oval mound which measures 27m long from
east to west and 25m wide from north to south and is 0.8m high. The ditch,
from which material to construct the mound was derived, survives as a 2m wide
buried feature. The mound and ditch have been cut by a quarry to the east,
which has been partly backfilled.
The site was part excavated by Burnard in 1895. A platform of small, flat,
fired stones which measured 3.6m long, 1.8m wide and 0.3m high was found at
the centre of the mound and this was covered with charcoal and ash. A pit was
also found nearby which measured 1.36m long, 1m wide and 1.2m deep. This
contained calcined animal bone. Also recovered were a few sherds of Late
Neolithic to Early Bronze Age pottery and an amber pendant.
All fences and fence posts are excluded from the scheduling, although the
ground beneath is included.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
28644
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Other
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
