Bowl barrow on Ugworthy Moor 510m south of West Ugworthy House

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 on Ugworthy Moor 510m south of West Ugworthy House survives well and is one of two substantial barrows collectively known as the Ugworthy Barrows. Archaeological and environmental information survives within these barrows, which are prominent local landmarks. Together they will provide evidence for territorial control and land use in this part of Devon.

Details

This monument includes a bowl barrow situated on a high ridge overlooking the valley of the Small Brook. It is the northernmost of two barrows known as the Ugworthy Barrows; the other is the subject of a separate scheduling. The monument survives as an oval mound 41m long from north to south and 38.7m wide from east to west and 1.4m high. To the north and east of the mound the quarry ditch from which material to construct the mound was derived is visible as a 4.8m wide and up to 0.2m deep hollow; elsewhere it survives as a buried feature.

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:

30339

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
Devon County Sites and Monuments Register, SS30NW3, (1983)

End of official list entry

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