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 400m north of Anchor survives reasonably well. Although
the mound has been dug into, with evidence for limited truncation of its edge,
it remains substantially intact, as will the underlying old land surface and
any surviving original deposits associated with the mound and old land
surface.
Details
The scheduling includes a prehistoric round barrow, situated on a slight slope
on the east shoulder of a ridge south west of Perranporth. The barrow has an
earth and stone mound measuring approximately 19.3m north west-south east by
18.1m north east-south west and 2.8m high. A hollow centred east of the centre
of the barrow, 7.4m in diameter and 1.6m deep on the west side, is considered
to result from antiquarian excavation or quarrying, combined with the removal
of a boundary stone formerly protruding from the mound. The barrow is closely
associated with a group of round barrows beyond this scheduling, together
forming a ridge-top barrow cemetery. One of these is the subject of a separate
scheduling.
The modern building and associated drain, and all modern agricultural
equipment, 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.