Two round barrows 150m south west and 180m south east of Prince Parc

Reasons for Designation

Round barrows 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 mounds, sometimes ditched, which covered single or multiple burials. They occur either in isolation or grouped as cemeteries and often acted as a focus of 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 examples recorded nationally (many more have already been destroyed), occurring across most of Britain, including the Wessex area where it is often possible to classify them more closely, for example as bowl or bell barrows. Often occupying prominent locations, they are a major historic element in the modern landscape and their considerable variation in 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.

Despite limited modification, the two round barrows 150m south west and 180m south east of Prince Parc survive fairly well. The underlying old land surfaces, and remains of any structures or other deposits associated with these and with the upstanding earthworks, will also survive. The ridgetop location illustrates the important role of topography in prehistoric funerary activity.

Details

The scheduling includes two prehistoric round barrows, situated on near level ground on top of a ridge north of St Columb Major. They are associated with other barrows beyond this scheduling, forming a small outlying group within a wider hill and ridgetop barrow cemetery. The scheduling is divided into two separate areas of protection. The western barrow in the scheduling has an earth and stone mound with a sub-circular plan and a bowl-like profile, measuring around 22.8m across and 1.3m high. It is considered to have been smoothed by ploughing. There is no evidence of a ditch surrounding the mound. The barrow to the east has a mound containing dark earth and shillet (local stone) rubble. It is circular in plan, being approximately 20m in diameter, and is reduced by ploughing, rising in a gentle curve to a height of 0.3m. Again, no external ditch is known.

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:

32983

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
Title: Ordnance Survey 1:2500 Map Source Date: 1908 Author: Publisher: Surveyor: Date approx.
Title: St Columb Major Tithe Apportionment Source Date: 1840 Author: Publisher: Surveyor:
Title: Ordnance Survey 1" Map Source Date: 1810 Author: Publisher: Surveyor: Date approx
Title: Ordnance Survey 1:2500 Map Source Date: 1880 Author: Publisher: Surveyor: Date approx.
Title: St Columb Major Tithe Apportionment Source Date: 1840 Author: Publisher: Surveyor: 1855
Title: Cornwall Mapping Project Source Date: 1995 Author: Publisher: Surveyor:
MS at RIC library, Truro. Date approx, Henderson, C, Notebooks of Parochial Antiquities, Notebooks of Parochial Antiquities, (1917)
SW 96 NW 26, Brown, JG, Ordnance Survey Index Card, (1977)
Saunders, AD, AM7, (1956)
SW 96 NW 48, Quinnell, NV, Ordnance Survey Index Card, (1977)
SW 96 NW 26, Fletcher, MJ, Ordnance Survey Index Card, (1972)

End of official list entry

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