Reasons for Designation
Bowl barrows, the most numerous form of round barrow, 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 or rubble mounds, sometimes ditched, which covered single or multiple
burials. They occur either in isolation or grouped as cemeteries and often
acted as a focus for 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 bowl
barrows recorded nationally (many more have already been destroyed), occurring
across most of lowland Britain. Often occupying prominent locations, they are
a major historic element in the modern landscape and their considerable
variation of 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.
Details
The monument, which falls into two separate areas of protection, includes
three bowl barrows situated on a gentle northfacing slope of Milborne Down
520m and 585m north east of the obelisk on Weatherby Castle hillfort, and are
part of a dispersed group of barrows on this ridge.
The barrows, which are aligned broadly north west-south east, are spread over
a distance of about 200m. Each has a mound composed of earth, flint and chalk,
each of which have maximum dimensions of between 18m and 26m in diameter, and
up to 0.6m in height. Surrounding each mound is a quarry ditch from which
material was derived during its construction. The ditches are no longer
visible on the ground surface, but will survive as buried features up to 3m
wide. Aerial photographs taken in 1980 indicate that the central barrow also
had an external bank, now no longer visible on the surface; a trench running
north-south across the mound suggests that this barrow has been excavated in
the past. This may be one of several unlocated barrows on Milborne Down
excavated by Charles Warne in the mid-19th century, one of which `on the
highest and most southerly part of the down' revealed a primary cremation with
ashes and a secondary intrusive inhumation 0.6m from the top.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
33546
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals
Legal
This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
End of official list entry
