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
Irthlingborough bowl barrow is located approximately 1km to the north east of
the village of Irthlingborough and lies on the east side of a disused railway
cutting.
This Bronze Age bowl barrow stands as a round mound up to 2m high in the
centre and is about 40m across at its maximum diameter. Remains of a ditch
approximately 2m wide can be seen around the barrow on the north, east and
south sides. On the west side the ditch was truncated by a railway cutting
built in 1847 but the mound of the barrow is complete. Three other round
barrows are known to have existed within 400m of this site but these were
excavated prior to gravel quarrying. The mound is covered with grass and weeds
and is preserved within a fenced island in the gravel workings.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
13667
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
