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 barrow in Three Ash Belt 460m north east of Westwood Farm survives well
and lies within an area of considerable prehistoric activity. Westwood long
barrow lies about 200m to the south and a second long barrow lies 1km to the
north (both the subject of separate schedulings), closely associated with a
cross dyke. The barrow mound will contain evidence for primary and secondary
burials, along with grave goods, which will provide information about
prehistoric funerary practices and about 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 providing evidence for
the landscape at the time of the barrows construction. In addition, the mound
and its surrounding ditch will contain environmental evidence in the form of
organic remains, which will relate both to the barrow and the wider landscape.
Details
The monument includes a bowl barrow in Three Ash Belt, 460m north east of
Westwood Farm. The barrow mound measures 15m in diameter and is about 1m high.
Surrounding the mound is a ditch from which material was excavated for the
construction of the barrow. This ditch is no longer visible at ground level,
but survives as a buried feature about 2m wide.
The remains of the post and wire fence and dry stone wall which once ran
east-west across the mound 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.
