Rawcliffe Howe round barrow

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.

Although partly truncated Rawcliffe Howe round barrow has survived reasonably well. Significant information about the original form of the barrow, the burials placed within it and the relationship with other monuments in the area will be preserved. Evidence of earlier land use will also survive beneath the barrow mound.

Details

The monument includes a round barrow situated in a prominant position on the southern slopes of the North York Moors overlooking the Vale of Pickering. It is known from archaeological evidence that the southern flanks of the moors were extensively used in the prehistoric period for agricultural and ritual purposes. Remains of these activities survive today. The barrow has an earth and stone mound standing 1m high which originally measured 20m in diameter. The mound was surrounded by a ditch up to 3m wide which has been filled in on the eastern side and is no longer visible as an earthwork. The western part of the mound has been truncated by a cutting for the adjacent road surface which is at least 3m below the top of the mound. Although constructed primarily for burials, it is believed that certain barrows also served as boundary markers. The use of the barrow as a marker continues today as the parish boundary passes through the monument.

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:

34412

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Smith, M J B, Excavated Bronze Age Burial Mounds of Durham and N' land., (1994), 331
Whellan, J J, History and Topography of the North Riding of Yorkshire, (1859), 225

End of official list entry

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