Bowl barrow 470m south west of Coton House

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 470m south west of Coton House survives well and is believed to include both primary and secondary burials and associated artefacts. These will provide information about the dietary habits, diseases and standards of living of the local population. Artefactual evidence will also provide evidence for social status as well as ritual and funerary practices. The ditches and barrow mound preserve buried ground surfaces which will provide information about the landscape, environment and climate in the vicinity at the time of the barrows construction and use.

Details

The monument includes the buried and earthwork remains of a bowl barrow, located in a prominent position on rising ground above the junction of the M6 motorway and the A426 Lutterworth to Market Harborough road. The barrow mound is irregular with evidence of disturbance on the south side. It stands to a height of between 4m to 5m, with a maximum diameter of approximately 30m. Although no longer easily visible at ground level, a slight depression at the base of the mound is the remains of a ditch, from which material was quarried during the construction of the mound. This has been partly infilled over the years, but survives as a buried feature approximately 5m wide.

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:

30060

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
Various SMR officers, Various unpublished notes in SMR, WA2780

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