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.
Details
The monument includes a bowl barrow situated 225m 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 gravel rise
which stands approximately 0.3m high compared to the surrounding land on the
north, and up to 1m high on the south, where the land slopes down towards the
former Fen edge. It measures 38m 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 it
has become infilled over the years, it survives as a buried feature visible
on air photographs as a cropmark (an area of enhanced growth resulting from
higher levels of moisture retained by the underlying archaeological
features). By comparison with examples excavated elsewhere in the area, the
ditch is thought to measure approximately 5m wide. Around the barrow
fragments of worked flint have been found. The bowl barrow is situated within
an area of diffuse Romano-British settlement remains, identified as cropmarks
on aerial photographs. It lies within a rectangular field enclosure, part of
which is preserved within the scheduling. 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.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
33391
Legacy System:
RSM
End of official list entry
