Reasons for Designation
Round barrow cemeteries date to the Bronze Age (c.2000-700 BC). They comprise
closely-spaced groups of up to 30 round barrows - rubble or earthen mounds
covering single or multiple burials. Most cemeteries developed over a
considerable period of time, often many centuries, and in some cases acted as
a focus for burials as late as the early medieval period. They exhibit
considerable diversity of burial rite, plan and form, frequently including
several different types of round barrow, occasionally associated with earlier
long barrows. Where large scale investigation has been undertaken around them,
contemporary or later "flat" burials between the barrow mounds have often been
revealed. Round barrow cemeteries occur across most of lowland Britain, with a
marked concentration in Wessex. In some cases, they are clustered around other
important contemporary monuments such as henges. Often occupying prominent
locations, they are a major historic element in the modern landscape, whilst
their diversity and their longevity as a monument type provide important
information on the variety of beliefs and social organisation amongst early
prehistoric communities. They are particularly representative of their period
and a substantial proportion of surviving or partly-surviving examples are
considered worthy of protection.
Bowl barrows are the most numerous form of round barrows and date from the
Late Neolithic period to the Late Bronze Age, with most examples belonging to
the period 2400-1500 BC. The bowl barrow 60m south east of the junction of the
A32 and Fawley Lane survives reasonably well despite some later disturbance.
Along with the other barrows in the cemetery, it can be expected to retain
important archaeological remains and environmental evidence relating to the
monument and the landscape in which it was constructed.
Details
The monument includes a bowl barrow inconspicuously situated on the northern
brow of a slight chalk spur, 60m south east of the junction of the A32 and
Fawley Lane, near West Tisted. It forms part of a round barrow cemetery known
locally as The Jumps or The Devil's Jumps. Seven additional barrows which also
form part of the cemetery, situated between 100m and 375m to west, are the
subject of separate schedulings.
The bowl barrow includes a roughly circular mound with a maximum diameter of
26m. It has been considerably lowered and spread by modern ploughing and now
survives to a height of 0.3m on the southern, upslope side, and up to 0.6m on
the downslope side. There is no visible trace of a surrounding quarry ditch,
although this will survive as a buried feature, approximately 2m wide. Further
buried remains associated with the original use of the monument, including
burials, grave pits and grave goods, can be expected to survive beneath the
mound.
All fence posts are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath
them is included.
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.
