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 westernmost of a pair of bowl barrows, 310m north east of Llanerch-y-coed
is a well preserved example of this class of monument. The barrow mound will
retain evidence for its method of construction and any phases of
refurbishment, as well as for the burial or burials within it. This will
enhance our understanding of both the technology and social organisation of
its builders. The accumulated ditch fills will contain environmental evidence
for activity at the barrow and land use around it, during its construction and
subsequent use. The buried ground surface beneath the mound itself will
similarly preserve environmental evidence for the prehistoric landscape in
which the barrow was built. In its elevated position near the crest of an
east-west ridge, the monument would have been a clearly visible landmark for
the Bronze Age population of the area.
Details
The monument includes the earthwork and buried remains of a bowl barrow,
situated near the top of a north facing ridge, between two streams which rise
to either side of Llanerch-y-coed. The remains include an earthern mound,
approximately 10m east-west by approximately 12m north-south. The ground falls
away steeply into the plantation, and the longer edge of the mound is thus
aligned east-west along the crest of this drop. The mound itself is
approximately 1.5m high, but due to its position on the slope, its crest rises
approximately 4m above the ground to the north, where its profile merges with
the natural slope. A large scoop cuts approximately 2m back into the northern
side of the mound, and may be the result of an early investigation of the
barrow. A large number of stone slabs are visible in the resulting scar,
forming a rough line approximately 1m below the summit of the barrow. These
stones may represent the remains of a revetment or kerb supporting the
earthern core of the mound. This structural material will have been quarried
from a surrounding ditch, although this has since become infilled and is no
longer visible on the surface.
The wood grows thickly on all but the south side of the monument, and a number
of dead trees occupy the mound itself. Before the development of Newhouse
Wood the barrow would have commanded impressive views to the west, north and
east, and its position is typical of this type of monument. A second barrow
located 50m to the north east is the subject of a separate scheduling
(SM28871).
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.
