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 located 340m east of Holly Bush Farm
on a gentle south east facing slope to the east of the village of Grittleton.
The mound is 30m across north west to south east and 27m from north east to
south west. It is 0.7m high. A patch of stony ground is situated 1.5m north
east of the top of the mound, consisting of large slabs of limestone, uncut
but regular in form. This is likely to represent part of the barrow's original
structure.
The mound is surrounded by a ditch from which material was quarried during its
construction. This has become infilled over the years and survives as a buried
feature 3m wide.
The barrow is likely to be `Olde Burgh' or `Berwe' mentioned in a Saxon
charter of AD 940 from King Eadmund granting lands around Grittleton to the
thegne Wulfric.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
31642
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
