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 430m north east of Prior's Fen Farm is well preserved, having
been protected by overlying deposits of peat and clay and will contain a
wealth of information relating to the barrow's construction, the manner and
duration of its use, as well as ritual and domestic activity on the site.
Buried soils underneath the mound will retain valuable archaeological
evidence concerning landuse in the area prior to the construction of the
barrow, while organic deposits preserved in the ditch will shed light on
environmental conditions (eg climate, flora and fauna) since the construction
of the barrow. The monument is part of a diffuse barrow landscape at Eye and
Thorney.
Details
The monument includes a bowl barrow situated 430m north east of Prior's Fen
Farm. The barrow has been covered and protected by later deposits of marine
clay and peat, from which the mound emerges. It is visible as a slight gravel
rise of approximately 0.1m high and 20m in diameter. The deeper lying remains
of the barrow are preserved underneath the Fen deposits and include an
encircling ditch from which earth was dug in the construction of the mound.
Although the ditch has become infilled over the years, it survives as a
buried feature and is visible on aerial photographs as a cropmark (an area of
enhanced growth resulting from higher levels of moisture retained by the
underlying archaeological features). It is thought to measure 4m wide by
comparison with examples excavated elsewhere in the region. The barrow is
situated on the edge of a gravel peninsula along the prehistoric Fen edge, a
location that, with its mixture of wetter and drier grounds and easy access
along the waterways, attracted prehistoric activity. The monument is part of
a diffuse barrow landscape at Eye and Thorney, other elements of which are
subject to separate schedulings.
MAP EXTRACT
The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.
It includes a 5 metre boundary around the archaeological features,
considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.
