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.
Details
The monument includes a bowl barrow located in The Belt plantation, adjacent
to the Weasenham to Wellingham Road, 1.1km north west of High House Farm. The
barrow is situated on former heathland in the Good Sands upland region of
north west Norfolk. It is one of a wider, dispersed group of round barrows
aligned approximately east-west over a distance of about 2.5km, and others
of the group are the subject of separate schedulings.
The bowl barrow is visible as a mound measuring 18m in diameter and standing
up to 1m high. A hollow, measuring 3m in width and 0.8m deep, lies at the
south west edge of the mound. A linear boundary, depicted on 19th century and
earlier maps, lies immediately adjacent to the north edge of the mound. The
boundary, aligned east-west, is marked by a partly infilled ditch, measuring
3m in width and 0.4m deep, bordered by a bank, 2m wide and 0.2m high, on the
north side. The boundary may be of medieval or early post-medieval origin and
a length of the ditch and bank adjacent to the barrow is included in the
scheduling.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
35056
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Other
Legal
This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
End of official list entry
