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, which falls into two areas of protection, includes two Bronze
Age bowl barrows, lying in an approximate east-west alignment, situated about
100m apart on low lying land between the River Exe and the River Culm.
Both barrows have been reduced in height and spread by cultivation but both
have mounds with an average height of 1m. Both barrows have surrounding ring
ditches from which soil was extracted for the construction of their mounds;
these ring ditches survive as below ground features which have been recorded
as crop marks on aerial photographs with a width of about 2m. The diameter of
the westernmost barrow, inclusive of its ring ditch, is about 32m and that of
the eastern barrow about 38m. These barrows are two of a number of such
barrows which have been recognised in this area of the Exe valley.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
29676
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals 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
