Round barrow 230m south west of Killiganoon Manor

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 230m south west of Killiganoon Manor survives particularly well. Despite the relatively recent slight modifications and the addition of an earthwork on the north side, it remains almost intact, as will the underlying old land surface and any surviving original deposits associated with it. Its location on a ridge top illustrates the important role of topography in Bronze Age funerary activity.

Details

The scheduling includes a prehistoric round barrow, situated on level ground towards the south of a ridge east of Carnon Downs. The barrow has a prominent earth and stone mound approximately 18m in diameter and 4.5m high, with regular steep sides. It has a fairly flat top around 5.2m across which may have been levelled relatively recently. The barrow has been modified by the cutting of a path, 0.5m wide and levelled in by 0.3m on the west side, which curves northwards to the top of the mound, and by the construction of a substantial ramp-like earthwork which abuts the mound from ground level on the north side. This earthwork, which is included in the scheduling, measures approximately 22m long, north-south, by 9.5m wide at its northern end, broadening to 16m wide at the southern end, and rises to 1.5m high. Its east side, north of its junction with the barrow mound, is cut by a pit 10m across and 1.5m deep used for the extraction of stone or other material. The northern part of the earthwork has been truncated slightly on the west side to accommodate a modern silage clamp. The modern materials used for blocking the gateway on the south side are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath 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:

32919

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Pett, DE, The Parks and Gardens of Cornwall, (1998), 90-91

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:
Title: Lanhydrock Atlas Source Date: 1695 Author: Publisher: Surveyor:
Title: Ordnance Survey 1:2500 Map Source Date: 1970 Author: Publisher: Surveyor:
Title: Ordnance Survey Index Card Source Date: 1968 Author: Publisher: Surveyor: SW 84 SW 10
Title: Feock Tithe Apportionment Source Date: 1840 Author: Publisher: Surveyor:
Mercer, R, AM7, (1970)
SW 84 SW 10, JP, Ordnance Survey Index Card, (1968)
Hooley, D to Parkes, C, (1999)

End of official list entry

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