Five round barrows 570m south of Hope Cove, forming part of a round barrow cemetery

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 some damage and robbing for stone, the five round barrows 570m south of Hope Cove represent an important group in an area where cemeteries are rare. The mounds and their surrounding ditches will contain archaeological and environmental information relating to their construction and use, as well as the contemporary landscape.

Details

This monument includes five bowl barrows of Late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age date, in a loose cluster on a north west facing slope. A short distance to the south west, cliffs fall 70m to the sea with views along the coast to the west. The remaining barrows within the cemetery, and a nearby hillfort, are the subjects of separate schedulings. The barrows are arranged in a rough north west to south east alignment, the three to the north being in close proximity. The north western barrow is 25m in diameter and survives up to 0.8m high, while that to its south is 30m in diameter and up to 0.8m high. To the east of these is a third barrow 21m in diameter and up to 1.2m high, while 63m to its south east is a fourth barrow, 36m in diameter and up to 0.9m high. A fifth barrow 66m to the west is sited on a natural rise in the ground and is 16m in diameter and up to 0.3m high. None of their ditches are visible, but these will survive as buried features. Excluded from the scheduling are all fence posts and service pipes, although the ground beneath them 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:

33773

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
MPP fieldwork by R Waterhouse, Waterhouse, R, (2000)

End of official list entry

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