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 two bowl barrows 450m and 520m north east of Sandymoor Cross, which form
part of a round barrow cemetery survive comparatively well, despite some
disturbance through early excavation to the westernmost barrow. These barrows
will contain both archaeological and environmental information relating to the
monument and its surrounding landscape. Bowl barrows are the most numerous
form of round barrow, with over 10,000 examples recorded nationally. They
were constructed as earthen or rubble mounds each covering single or multiple
burials.
Details
The monument, which includes two bowl barrows in two seperate areas of
protection and forming part of a round barrow cemetery, is located on a high
upland ridge overlooking the valley of a tributary to the River Claw. The
western barrow mound measures 30.5m diameter and up to 1m in height. There is
a roughly circular hollow, just east of the centre, which measures 3.4m in
diameter and up to 0.2m deep; otherwise it appears as a gently sloping rounded
mound.
The eastern barrow mound measures 28.6m in diameter and 1.1m in height. It is
a rounded mound of slightly steeper profile than the western barrow. Each
barrow mound is surrounded by a quarry ditch from which material was derived
during its construction. These ditches are no longer visible but survive as
approximately 3m wide buried features. Six other barrows which make up the
cemetery lie to the west, east, south west and south and are the subject of
separate schedulings.
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.
