Round barrow known as Binsoe Hill, south of Binsoe Hill Farm

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 limited disturbance, Binsoe Hill round barrow survives well. Significant information about the original form, burials placed within it and evidence of earlier land use beneath the mound will be preserved. The barrow is part of a wider group of prehistoric monuments in the area; such groupings offer important scope for the study of land use for social and ritual purposes in different geographical areas during the prehistoric period.

Details

The monument includes the prehistoric round barrow known as Binsoe Hill. It is located on a gentle south facing slope in undulating land in the vale of Mowbray. The barrow is one of a number of similar prehistoric mouments in the area. The barrow includes a substantial earth and stone mound standing over 7m in height. The mound is oval in shape and is highest at the east side. It measures 50m north east to south west by 30m north west to south east. The mound has been dug into on the south east and south west sides leaving large hollows and obscuring the original shape of the barrow. There is no evidence that the mound was surrounded by a ditch. A small reservoir built into the north east flank of the mound, a wooden shed on a concrete plinth and a ruined wall around the southern edge of the monument 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.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

31355

Legacy System:

RSM

End of official list entry

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