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.
Despite reduction in height through cultivation, the barrows which form
the round barrow cemetery 210m south west of Hillcrest, Centery Lane, survive
well and indicate the variety of sizes which should be expected within a
monument of this type. The barrows form a discrete cluster with a possible
outlier to the north, which is the subject of a separate scheduling.
Details
This monument, which falls into four separate areas of protection, includes a
round barrow cemetery consisting of nine individual barrows, situated on an
upland ridge overlooking the valleys of the Colam Stream and the River Caen.
The nine barrows survive as circular mounds which vary in diameter from 15.2m
up to 27.4m, and in height from 0.4m up to 1.2m. In all cases the surrounding
quarry ditches, from which material to construct each mound was derived,
survive as buried features measuring approximately 3m wide. The south eastern
mound has been cut by a field entrance on its north east side and by the
roadside hedge on its north west side and is essentially part of a field
boundary.
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.