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.
Excavations of round barrows in the region have shown that they demonstrate a
very wide range of burial rites from simple scatters of cremated material to
coffin inhumations and cremations contained in urns, typically dating to the
Bronze Age. A common factor is that barrows were normally used for more than
one burial and that the primary burial was frequently on or below the original
ground surface, often with secondary burials located within the body of the
mound. Most barrows include a small number of grave goods. These are often
small pottery food vessels, but stone, bone, jet and bronze items have also
occasionally been found.
The barrow 690m north of Benwell House is a well preserved example of the main
type of smaller round barrow found on the moors.
Details
The monument includes the buried and earthwork remains of a prehistoric burial
mound on the top of Lealholm Rigg.
The monument is sited on a level area of ground, about 0.5m below and 50m-60m
south of the summit of the Rigg. It is prominently sited on the skyline viewed
from the ridge that forms Lealholm Moor and commands views to the south and
east. The barrow is 11m in diameter, standing up to 1.3m high with a slight
bulge to the north and a small central depression up to 0.3m deep. The mound's
location mirrors that of the barrow 150m to the north east which is just below
the north eastern side of the summit and the subject of a separate scheduling.
Excavation of other barrows has also shown that even where no encircling
depression is discernible on the modern ground surface, ditches immediately
around the outside of barrows frequently survive as infilled features,
containing additional archaeological deposits.
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.
