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 a bowl barrow in Gravel Hill Plantation 340m north of
Arrowsmith House. The barrow has a mound 14m in diameter and 1.5m high,
surrounded by a quarry ditch from which material to construct the mound was
derived. This is visible as a slight surface depression on the northern side
of the mound, and has been quarried away by old quarry diggings on the south
east side, but elsewhere it has become infilled over the years and now
survives as a buried feature about 2m wide. A second barrow previously
recorded 10m to the east could not be located on the ground and is not
included in the scheduling.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
29592
Legacy System:
RSM
End of official list entry
