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.
Moots were open-air meeting places set aside for use by courts and other
bodies who were responsible for the administration and organisation of the
countryside in Anglo-Saxon and medieval England. They were located at
convenient, conspicuous or well known sites, often centrally placed within the
area under jurisdiction, usually a hundred, wapentake or shire. The meeting
place could take several forms: a natural feature, existing man-made features,
such as barrows or hillforts, or a purpose-built monument.
The bowl barrow 840m south east of Forestry Lodge survives well as a series
of earthwork and buried remains. Limited excavation has demonstrated the
presence of human remains and artefacts within the mound which will preserve
further archaeological information concerning its construction and date. In
addition, 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 and will contribute to an understanding of the character
and development of the prehistoric landscape. The identification of the
barrows with a moot gives the monument added interest and importance.
Details
The monument includes a bowl barrow located on a north west facing slope,
840m south east of Forestry Lodge. The barrow, one of a group recorded in
the area in the mid-18th century, is situated in the northern part of the
Breckland region of south west Norfolk. Another round barrow lies
approximately 350m to the south west and is the subject of a separate
scheduling.
The barrow is visible as an earthen mound measuring approximately 30m in
diameter and standing 1.2m high. Limited excavations, undertaken in 1963,
revealed a flexed inhumation of a male, aged about 45 years. A copper alloy
dagger was found with the burial and is thought to date to about 1500 BC.
The barrows have been identified as the meeting place, or moot, of the South
Greenhoe Hundred.
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.
