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.
Details
The monument includes the remains of a round barrow surviving as an
upstanding earthwork, surmounted by the remains of the base for a medieval
wayside cross. The barrow lies within heather moorland, 200m west of the
Castleton to Hutton-le-Hole road, and 30m NNW of a boundary stone marking the
boundary between Farndale East and Westerdale parishes.
The barrow survives as a 20m diameter mound, standing up to 0.7m high.
Excavations of similar barrows on the moors demonstrate that encircling
ditches are very common, although these tend to be silted, surviving as
infilled features. Flat Howe round barrow is also considered to have a mainly
silted encircling ditch. The top is slightly flattened and at its centre there
are the remains of a roughly dressed stone cross base. The base is square in
plan, 1m across with chamfered corners and a central socket for the cross
shaft measuring about 0.3m square. The cross base is thought to have
originally been of a single piece, but is now missing its south eastern corner
and the surviving section is split in two.
Flat Howe round barrow lies 240m west south west of the Margery Bradley
standing stone which is broadly of the same period and is the subject of a
separate scheduling.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
30137
Legacy System:
RSM
End of official list entry
