Bowl barrow in Wicken Covert, 100m south east of Highfield House

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 in Wicken Covert, 100m south east of Highfield House survives well as a series of earthwork and buried remains. Despite limited disturbance the monument will preserve archaeological information concerning the construction and date of the barrow. Evidence for the local environment at the time of construction will be contained in buried soils beneath the mound. It is associated with a further round barrow, giving added interest and importance, and will contribute to an understanding of the character and development of the prehistoric landscape.

Details

The monument includes a bowl barrow located in Wicken Covert, approximately 100m south east of Highfield House. The barrow is situated on former heathland in the Good Sands upland region of north west Norfolk. A further round barrow lies approximately 500m to the south west and is the subject of a separate scheduling. The bowl barrow is situated at the top of a short west-facing slope and is visible as a circular earthen mound measuring approximately 26m in diameter and standing up to 1.2m high. The earliest descriptions of the barrow record that the mound was encircled by a ditch. This has become infilled but will survive as a buried feature. All fence posts, hurdles and animal feeders are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath them is included.

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:

35064

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Lawson, A J, Martin, E A, Priddy, D, The Barrows of East Anglia, (1981), 34

Other
Norfolk SMR, NF1987, (2001)

End of official list entry

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