Group of round barrows at Withering Corner

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.

Saucer barrows date to the Early Bronze Age, most examples falling between 1800 and 1200 BC. They are one of the rarest recognised forms of round barrow with about 60 examples known nationally, most of which are in Wessex. Bowl barrows, by contrast, are the most numerous form of round barrow, and date from the Late Neolithic period to the Late Bronze Age, with most examples dating to between 2400-1500 BC. The presence of conjoint or twin barrows surrounded by a common ditch is relatively uncommon. The group of round barrows at Withering Corner survives comparatively well, despite some later disturbance. Geophysical survey of the group has indicated that it retains important archaeological remains, while environmental evidence relating to the cemetery and the landscape in which it was constructed, will also survive.

Details

The monument includes a group of five round barrows inconspicuously situated on the flank of a high chalk ridge which projects to the west from Farley Mount. It forms a north east-south west alignment which extends for approximately 150m along a false brow of the ridge, above ground dropping steeply to the north west. The group forms the core component of a round barrow cemetery of probable Bronze Age date (2000-700 BC). Two additional bowl barrows which also form part of the cemetery, situated 150m-200m to the west, are the subject of separate schedulings. From the south west, the monument includes a contiguous group of two bowl barrows and a twin bowl barrow, a further twin bowl barrow, and a saucer barrow. The contiguous group is the most prominent. It was formerly classified as a Neolithic long barrow but includes three distinct round barrow components surrounded by a common quarry ditch. They have been constructed out of chalk rubble along the cusp of a slight ledge which continues as a low bank between the three components, giving the impression of a long barrow. The two bowl barrows include well defined circular mounds, up to 18m in diameter and up to 2.4m high, with hollowed centres indicative of later excavation. The twin bowl barrow also appears to have suffered some later disturbance, but survives as a flat topped, roughly oval mound, slightly constricted across the centre. It is approximately 21m long by 16m wide, raised up to 1.7m on the downslope side. The surrounding quarry ditch is now partly infilled, but remains visible as a shallow depression, 5m wide. The second twin bowl barrow lies just to the north east on a slightly different alignment. It is comparatively poorly defined and was also previously classified as a possible long barrow. It forms a low mound, 26m long by 11m wide, which is slightly wider and higher at the eastern end. Here it stands up to 0.7m high and appears to form an oval shaped crest that overlaps a slightly lower, circular shaped crest to the west. There is a slight trace of an infilled ditch which forms a narrow terrace flanking the mound to the north. Geophysical survey has indicated that this ditch also flanks the monument on the southern side and that both ditches constrict slightly at the centre, between the two crests. The final component of the group is a low and poorly defined saucer barrow which has been cut by a later hollow way that bisects it and, more recently, by a modern bridle way that forms the route of the Clarendon Way. It survives, however, as a squat, saucer shaped mound which sits centrally within a surrounding ditch and outer bank. It has a total diameter of approximately 55m and both the mound and bank stand up to 0.3m high. Buried remains associated with the original construction and use of all components of the monument, including the original ground surface, ditch fills, burials, grave pits and grave goods, can be expected to survive. All fence posts and the surface of the bridle way that crosses the monument are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath these features 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.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

34134

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Smith, I F, Long Barrows in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, (1979), xxxiii
Smith, I F, Long Barrows in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, (1979), xxxiii
Grinsell, L V, Proceedings of the Hampshire Field Club in Hampshire Barrows, Vol. 14, (1938), 10,14

Other
Title: Map of Neolithic Wessex Source Date: 1933 Author: Publisher: Surveyor:
Crawford, O G S and Keiller, A, Wessex from the Air, (1928)

End of official list entry

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