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 Great Wood, 400m north of Lexham Hall, survives well as
a series of earthwork and buried remains and will contribute to our
understanding of the character and development of the prehistoric landscape.
The monument will preserve archaeological information concerning the
construction and date of the barrow. In addition evidence for the local
environment at the time of construction will be contained in buried soils
beneath the mound.
Details
The monument includes a bowl barrow located in Great Wood, 400m north of
Lexham Hall, on a gentle south facing slope above the River Nar. The barrow
is situated at the southern edge of the Good Sands upland region of north
west Norfolk.
The bowl barrow is visible as a circular earthen mound measuring approximately
26m in diameter. The flat-topped mound stands up to 1.5m in height.
All fence posts 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:
35070
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals Lawson, A J, Martin, E A, Priddy, D, The Barrows of East Anglia, (1981), 23Other Norfolk SMR, NF13546, (2002)
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
Print the official list entry