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 Withington Wood round barrow survives well, despite
some disturbance due to unrecorded excavation in the past. The bowl barrow
lies in an area of prehistoric activity, 330m north east of a long barrow. 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 giving an insight
into the landscape in which it 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 located just below the crest of a north
east facing hill in the Cotswolds. The barrow mound measures 13m 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, having become infilled over the years, but survives
as a buried feature about 2m wide.
In 1978 it was reported that a large depression was visible on the top of the
mound. This depression is thought to have been the result of unrecorded
excavation in the past.
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.
