A group of four bowl barrows on Golden Cap 515m south east and 630m south east of St Gabriel's House

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.

The bowl barrows on Golden Cap, 515m and 630m south east of St Gabriel's House, are well preserved examples of their class and will contain archaeological remains providing information about Bronze Age burial practices, economy and environment.

Details

The monument, which lies within two areas, includes four bowl barrows. The first area of protection includes three barrows 515m south east of St Gabriel's House. The second area of protection, containing the fourth barrow lies 630m south east of St Gabriel's House. A fifth barrow at the south west end of the first area has been partly excavated and is subject to continuing coastal erosion. It is not included in the scheduling. The barrows were originally recorded as being between 11m and 13m in diameter and between 1m and 1.2m high. However, due to a covering of wind blown sand, the partly excavated barrow was found to be larger in diameter than it appeared on the surface. It is possible that the other barrows in the group are similarly buried and consequently larger in diameter. The four barrows are each surrounded by a quarry ditch from which material was excavated during their construction. These have become infilled over the years but survive as buried features approximately 2m wide. All fence posts, the stone footpath sign and the triangulation point 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:

29578

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Proceedings of the Dorset Nat Hist and Archaeolgy Society in Excavation of a Round Barrow, Golden Cap, Vol. 114, (1992), 240
Proceedings of the Dorset Nat Hist and Archaeolgy Society in Excavation of a Round Barrow, Golden Cap, Vol. 114, (1992), 240
Proceedings of the Dorset Nat Hist and Archaeolgy Society in Excavation of a Round Barrow, Golden Cap, Vol. 114, (1992), 240

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