Bowl barrow 450m north east of Water Newton Mill

Reasons for Designation

Bowl barrows, the most numerous form of round barrow, 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 or rubble mounds, sometimes ditched, which covered single or multiple burials. They occur either in isolation or grouped as cemeteries and often acted as a focus for 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 bowl barrows recorded nationally (many more have already been destroyed), occurring across most of lowland Britain. Often occupying prominent locations, they are a major historic element in the modern landscape and their considerable variation of 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 bowl barrow 450m north east of Water Newton Mill is part of the important prehistoric Nene Valley landscape. As a substantial earthwork with associated buried features, it is exceptionally well-preserved. The barrow does not appear to have been excavated and most archaeological deposits are thought to survive intact, with the potential for the recovery of valuable artefactual and ecological evidence.

Details

The monument includes a bowl barrow situated 450m north east of Water Newton Mill, on the northern bank of the River Nene. The mound is visible as a substantial earthwork that has been partly spread and is of subcircular shape; it measures 35m east to west and 26m north to south. While the northern slope merges gradually with the surrounding field, the southern side stands out as a prominent rise of 1.5m high. The ditch, from which earth was dug in the construction of the mound, has become infilled and is no longer visible. It is thought to survive as a buried feature, approximately 3m wide.

The barrow is situated in the Nene Valley, which acted as a focus for prehistoric settlement and ritual activity. In the close vicinity are also the remains of the Roman town Durobrivae and its associated settlements, which are the subjects 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.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

33357

Legacy System:

RSM

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