Bowl barrow 100m north east of The Windmill

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 100m north east of the The Windmill survives well as a prominent mound with associated buried deposits, in an archaeologically rich area. Despite partial excavation during the 19th century 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 barrow mound will also preserve environmental information in the buried original ground surface, predating the construction of the barrow and will provide evidence for the landscape at the time of the barrow's 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 on level ground immediately to the east of Minchinhampton Common. The barrow mound measures 32m in diameter and is 1m high. Surrounding the mound is a ditch from which material was excavated during the construction of the barrow. The ditch is no longer visible at ground level, but survives as a buried feature about 3m wide. The barrow was partially excavated in 1868 by the owner of the land when an iron ring and a few fragments of bronze were recovered and the centre of the mound was found to consist of a fine mould.

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:

32362

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
O`Neil, H E, Grinsell, L V, Proc of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Arch Soc in Gloucestershire Barrows, Vol. LXXIX, (1960), 124
Playne, G F, Proceedings of the Cotteswold Naturalists Field Club in On the Early Occupation of the Cotswold Hills by Man, Vol. V, (1872), 283

End of official list entry

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