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 650m south of southern corner of New
Covert, part of a dispersed group of barrows on Canford Heath. The barrow lies
near the edge of a plateau overlooking a valley to the north west and north.
The barrow has a mound 15m in diameter and 1.6m high with a slight depression
in the top of it suggesting that it may have been partially excavated in the
past. Surrounding the mound is a quarry ditch from which material to construct
it was derived. This survives as a slight depression on the northern side of
the mound but has been disturbed by surface gravel digging on the south
western and south eastern sides. It will however survive as a buried feature
approximately 2m wide.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
31058
Legacy System:
RSM
End of official list entry
