Reasons for Designation
Round barrow cemeteries date to the Bronze Age (c.2000-700 BC). They comprise
closely-spaced groups of up to 30 round barrows - rubble or earthen mounds
covering single or multiple burials. Most cemeteries developed over a
considerable period of time, often many centuries, and in some cases acted as
a focus for burials as late as the early medieval period. They exhibit
considerable diversity of burial rite, plan and form, frequently including
several different types of round barrow, occasionally associated with earlier
long barrows. Where large scale investigation has been undertaken around them,
contemporary or later "flat" burials between the barrow mounds have often been
revealed. Round barrow cemeteries occur across most of lowland Britain, with a
marked concentration in Wessex. In some cases, they are clustered around other
important contemporary monuments such as henges. Often occupying prominent
locations, they are a major historic element in the modern landscape, whilst
their diversity and their longevity as a monument type provide important
information on the variety of beliefs and social organisation amongst early
prehistoric communities. They are particularly representative of their period
and a substantial proportion of surviving or partly-surviving examples are
considered worthy of protection.
Details
This monument includes a round barrow cemetery situated on an upland ridge
known as Stoodleigh Down overlooking the valleys of tributaries to the River
Bray.
The monument survives as a cluster of 12 circular mounds of varying size,
each surrounded by a quarry ditch from which material to construct the barrows
was derived. These ditches are all preserved as buried features from 3m-4m
wide. The mounds vary in size from 13.5m in diameter up to 27.2m. The heights
of the mounds range from 0.3m up to 2.3m. The largest mound approximately at
the centre of the group, has a small central depression on the summit, which
measures 2.9m long north to south, 2m wide east to west and up to 0.2m deep.
This may be the result of part excavation in antiquity.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
32239
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Other
Legal
This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
End of official list entry
