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 The Soldier's Grave survives well, despite partial
excavation in the past and lies within an area of significant prehistoric
activity, with a long barrow 200m to the south and a second about 500m to the
east. The mound will contain evidence of burials, 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 monument 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 situated below the crest of a north west
facing hill in the Cotswolds, 380m south east of Hill Farm. The barrow mound
measures 24m in diameter and is about 3m high. Surrounding the mound is a
ditch from which material was excavated during the construction of the barrow.
This is no longer visible at ground level but survives as a buried feature
about 3m wide. There is a large depression in the centre of the barrow mound,
about 4.5m across and 1.5m deep, which is thought to be the result of an
unrecorded excavation in the past. When the barrow was partially excavated by
H Clifford in 1937, it was found to have been opened previously and the centre
disturbed. The mound was found to have been constructed entirely of freestone,
without the use of soil, and below it, in the centre was a rock-cut boat-
shaped tomb, lined with dry stone walling and presumed to have originally been
covered with stone slabs. The remains of between 28 and 44 individuals were
found in the tomb, and the bones of an adult male had been incorporated into
the mound itself. Pottery found in the tomb and mound has been dated to the
Early Bronze Age, although the burial rites are Neolithic in character. It is
thought that the barrow therefore dates to a transitional period between the
burial rituals of the Neolithic and Bronze Ages.
The fence which runs immediately to the east of the barrow 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.
