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.
Despite partial excavation, Buck's Head round barrow survives well in an
area of known prehistoric activity with two bowl barrows less than 1km to the
south east. The mound will still contain evidence relating to the primary and
secondary burials, along with grave goods, which will provide information on
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 giving an insight into the landscape in which the monument was set. 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 just below the crest of a hill 540m east
of Dunley. The barrow mound measures 35m in diameter and is about 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.
Buck's Head barrow is believed to be the same barrow as the Hungerfield
barrow, which was partially excavated by JE Dorrington in 1880. Two dry stone
walls were revealed 0.9m apart, which ran north and south to the edge of the
barrow mound. In a cist, formed from a concrete-like substance between the two
walls, were the primary cremations of a woman and child. Two secondary
interments were also found, one a cremation and the second, an inhumation. No
mention is made of any accompanying grave goods.
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.
