Round barrow 120m south east of Parkwood Hill

Reasons for Designation

Round barrows 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 mounds, sometimes ditched, which covered single or multiple burials. They occur either in isolation or grouped as cemeteries and often acted as a focus of 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 examples recorded nationally (many more have already been destroyed), occurring across most of Britain, including the Wessex area where it is often possible to classify them more closely, for example as bowl or bell barrows. Often occupying prominent locations, they are a major historic element in the modern landscape and their considerable variation in 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 round barrow 120m south east of Parkwood Hill survives reasonably well. Despite limited antiquarian excavation, the mound remains substantially intact, as will the underlying old land surface and any surviving original deposits associated with the mound and old land surface. Its location on a ridge top in association with other round barrows illustrates the important role of topography in Bronze Age funerary activity.

Details

The monument includes a prehistoric round barrow, situated on fairly level ground on a westerly spur of a ridge at Carnon Downs. The barrow has an earth and stone mound 20.5m in diameter and 0.7m high, with a regular, gently sloping profile, except to the south where its side is a little steeper. It is associated with other round barrows beyond this scheduling, which together form a small ridge-top barrow cemetery.

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:

32913

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
Title: Ordnance Survey 1:2500 Map Source Date: 1907 Author: Publisher: Surveyor:
Title: Ordnance Survey 1:2500 Map Source Date: 1880 Author: Publisher: Surveyor:

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