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 two bowl barrows 690m and 760m south west of Leworthy survive
comparatively well and form part of a cluster of large mounds. Archaeological
and environmental information survives within these barrows and together they
provide evidence for territorial control and land use in this part of
Devon.
Details
This monument, which falls into two areas, includes two bowl barrows aligned
north-south and situated on a high upland ridge known as Affaland Moor. These
two barrows form part of a group of eight barrows spread along the ridge. The
northernmost barrow of the two survives as a 0.2m high circular mound with a
diameter of 25m. This mound was slightly damaged by the construction of a
military building, which has subsequently been removed.
The second barrow lies to the south west, measures 25m in diameter and is 1.2m
high. Both mounds are surrounded by separate ditches from which material to
construct the barrows was derived. These are preserved as buried features 2.5m
wide.
A boundary bank crossing the north side of the northern barrow is excluded
from the scheduling, but the ground below 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.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
30336
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Other Devon County Sites and Monuments Register, SS30SW16, (1983) Devon County Sites and Monuments Register, SS30SW17, (1983)
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.
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