Three bowl barrows 670m and 775m north west of Homer Downs

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 three bowl barrows 670m and 775m north west of Homer Downs survive reasonably well, the two to the south east having prominent mounds. Despite evidence for some ploughing down of the north west barrow, all the mounds remain substantially intact, as will the underlying old land surface, any surviving original deposits associated with them, and the below ground remains of the ditch around the mound of the north west barrow. Their location on a ridge top illustrates well the important role of topography in Bronze Age funerary activity.

Details

The monument includes three prehistoric bowl barrows, situated above an east slope on a spur of a ridge running north from Trendeal. The three barrows form a roughly linear group running north west-south east. The scheduling is divided into two separate areas of protection. The north western barrow has an earthen mound 13m in diameter and 0.5m high, with a fairly level top. A buried ditch around the mound, approximately 3m wide, is visible on aerial photographs. The central barrow has a prominent earthen mound 25.2m in diameter and 1.2m high, with a regular, gently sloping profile. The south eastern barrow has a prominent earthen mound 22.5m in diameter and 1m high, with a regular, gently sloping profile.

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:

32911

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
Title: Ordnance Survey 1:2500 Map Source Date: 1907 Author: Publisher: Surveyor:
Title: Ordnance Survey 2" drawing Source Date: 1811 Author: Publisher: Surveyor:
Title: Ladock Tithe Apportionment Source Date: 1840 Author: Publisher: Surveyor: 148
Title: Ordnance Survey 1:2500 Map Source Date: 1880 Author: Publisher: Surveyor:
Thomas, R, Letter to the West Briton, (1851)
3GTUDUK222PT11/5141-5142, RAF vertical, (1946)
Letter 43, Letter to the West Briton, (1851)
Fletcher, M, Ordnance Survey Index Card, (1970)

End of official list entry

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