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.
The bowl barrows 370m and 505m south of New England are exceptionally well-
preserved, having been protected by overlying deposits of peat and clay and
will contain a wealth of archaeological information relating to activity on
the site, the manner and duration of the barrows use and their construction.
Investigations on the barrows 600m to the north east highlight the potential
of the area, revealing several construction phases from the Middle Neolithic
to the Middle Bronze Age, and evidence of Bronze Age and Iron Age ritual and
domestic activity on and around the barrows. Buried soils underneath the
barrows will retain valuable archaeological evidence on the social and
economic development of the region prior to the construction of barrows. The
monument has additional importance as part of an exceptional prehistoric
landscape, in which a Neolithic causewayed enclosure about 850m to the south
acted as a ritual focus.
Details
The monument, in two areas of protection, includes two bowl barrows situated
370m and 505m south of New England Farm, south of the A1123. The barrows have
been covered by later deposits of marine clay and peat, from which the crowns
of the mounds now emerge. These have been reduced by modern ploughing but are
still visible as slight sand and gravel mounds. The deeper lying remains of
the barrows, including encircling ditches from which earth was dug in the
construction of the mounds, are preserved underneath the fen deposits.
The northernmost barrow is marked on the modern ground surface by a low,
spread mound of lighter coloured sandy soil mixed with gravel, approximately
16m in diameter. Below this, underlying the peat and clay, is an earthen mound
which is thought to measure approximately 20m in diameter, surrounded by a
ditch up to 5m wide. Approximately 160m to the south west of this barrow is
another barrow visible as a low mound approximately 0.5m high and 25m in
diameter, and is thought to measure 30m at the base, encircled by a 5m wide
ditch.
The barrows are situated on a gravel island along the former course of the
River Great Ouse, where it met the Fen edge. This location acted as a focal
point for prehistoric activity, leaving a wide range of monuments, including a
spread of barrows of various forms. About 600m to the north east are three
further bowl barrows, which are the subject of a separate scheduling.
MAP EXTRACT
The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.
It includes a 4 metre boundary around the archaeological features,
considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.
