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 bowl barrow 530m south east of Nash End Farm survives reasonably well,
despite plough disturbance in the past, in an area of considerable prehistoric
activity with three bowl barrows lying short distances to the north west. The
mound will contain evidence for primary and possibly secondary burials, along
with grave goods, which will provide information about prehistoric funerary
practices and about the size of the local community at that time. The barrow
mound will also preserve environmental information in the buried ground
surface, predating the construction of the barrow, and giving insight into the
landscape in which the monument was set. In addition the mound and its
surrounding ditch will contain environmental evidence in the form of organic
remains, which will relate both to the barrow and the wider landscape.
Details
The monument includes a bowl barrow 530m south east of Nash End Farm, in the
Cotswolds. The barrow mound measures 17m north-south, 15.5m east-west and is
0.4m high. Surrounding the mound is a ditch from which material was excavated
during construction of the barrow. The ditch is no longer visible at ground
level, but survives as a buried feature about 2m wide. 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.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
32361
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals O`Neil, H E, Grinsell, L V, 'Proc of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Arch Soc' in Gloucestershire Barrows, , Vol. LXXIX, (1960), 104
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.
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