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 barrow known as Bauble's Barrow, 500m south of Empshill Farm survives
reasonably well, despite some damage from ploughing. The mound will contain
evidence for primary and secondary burials, along with grave goods, which will
provide information about prehistoric funerary practices, and about the size
of the local community at that time. The mound will also preserve
environmental information in the buried ground surface, predating the
construction of the barrow and giving an insight into the landscape in which
the monument was set. The mound and its surrounding ditch will also contain
environmental evidence in the form of organic remains, which will relate both
to the barrow and the landscape in which it was constructed.
Details
The monument includes a bowl barrow know as Bauble's Barrow, set just below
the crest of a north west facing hillside in the Cotswolds. The barrow mound
measures 36m in diameter and is about 0.2m high. Surrounding the mound is a
ditch from which material was excavated during the construction of the barrow.
This ditch can no longer be seen at ground level, but survives as a buried
feature about 4m wide.
The post and wire fence which borders the barrow on its north side is excluded
from the scheduling, although the ground beneath it 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.