Two barrows immediately north east of Lower Bordean 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.

The barrows immediately north east of Lower Bordean Farm survive as a combination of earthworks and buried features. the remains of the barrows represent a rare survival in a relatively low-lying location which has otherwise been subject to intensive agricultural usage. Despite the removal of one of the barrow mounds, both barrows will retain archaeological and environmental information relating to their construction, their use, the contemporary landscape into which they were placed and their relationship to the linear earthworks that survive in the vicinity. Together with other contemporary remains in the vicinity, they will ofer a detailed insight into burial and ritual practice in the area during the Bronze Age.

Details

The monument includes two barrows aligned NNE-SSW and some linear earthworks, situated on a gentle south facing slope immediately north east of Lower Bordean Farm. The barrows form part of an original group of five, three of which survive; the other surviving barrow in the group is the subject of a separate scheduling. The northern barrow has a sub-circular flat-topped mound 18m in diameter and up to 2.5m in height. Surrounding the mound, but no longer visible at ground level, is a ditch from which material was quarried for the barrow's construction. This has a width of approximately 2m. The second barrow 13m, to the south has been levelled and is now scarcely discernible at ground level but its external quarry ditch is clearly shown as surviving on aerial photographs as a circular buried feature up to 1.5m in width and 25m in diameter. A series of linear banks survive in the vicinity of the barrows. All fences are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath them 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:

30259

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Hampshire County Council, , East Hampshire in Hampshire Treasures, Vol. 6, (1982)

Other
Title: Ordnance Survey 6" Series Source Date: 1885 Author: Publisher: Surveyor:
Title: Ordnance Survey 1:2500 Source Date: Author: Publisher: Surveyor:
Meridian Airmaps Ltd, 1:10,000 18/84, (1984)
RCHME, NMR No. SU 62 SE 4,

End of official list entry

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