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
The monument, which falls into five separate areas of protection, includes a
dispersed round barrow cemetery comprising six bowl barrows and a possible
bell barrow, situated on Deverel Down, on and just below the crest of the
hill, on a south facing slope.
The bowl barrows have mounds ranging in diameter between 12m and 20m and
between 0.2m and 1.5m in height. The possible bell barrow has been spread and
reduced in height by ploughing, but prior to 1970 it was recorded as having an
area enclosed by a ditch 17m in diameter, with a mound 9m in diameter and
0.6m high. All the mounds are surrounded by quarry ditches from which material
used in their construction was derived. These are sometimes visible in part as
surface depressions but otherwise will survive as buried features up to 3m
wide. Many of the barrows show signs of past excavation, although no finds are
specifically recorded from the barrows in this monument. A pottery cup found
with an urn, now in the British Museum, is recorded as having been found in an
unlocated barrow on Deverel Down.
The cemetery originally included seven bowl barrows, and the possible bell
barrow. Two other possible barrows have also been identified, but there is
some doubt about their classification. They have since been reduced in height
by ploughing and their locations cannot be verified on the ground. One of the
additional bowl barrows in the cemetery, known as the Deverel Barrow, was
almost totally excavated in 1824 by W A Miles. The excavation revealed that
the mound covered a semi-circle of sarsen stones most of which sealed covered
cists cut into the chalk. These cists contained 17 cremations in pottery urns;
five other cists which contained cremation remains only were also recorded. In
addition, on the barrow floor there were four more cremations in urns and four
unaccompanied cremations. The site is now marked by a circular walled
enclosure. These three additional barrows are not included in the scheduling.
The round barrow cemetery lies within a Celtic field system which is now much
reduced by ploughing and the relationship with the cemetery cannot now be
determined. The fragmentary remains of the field system are not included in
the scheduling.
All fence and gate posts are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground
beneath these features is included.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
33531
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals
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
