Scheduled Monument: Bowl barrow 500m south of West Down Barn (1020986)

EXTRACT FROM ENGLISH HERITAGE'S RECORD OF SCHEDULED MONUMENTS MONUMENT: Bowl barrow 500m south of West Down Barn PARISH: WINTERBORNE KINGSTON DISTRICT: NORTH DORSET COUNTY: DORSET NATIONAL MONUMENT NO: 27392 NATIONAL GRID REFERENCE(S): ST84659745 DESCRIPTION OF THE MONUMENT The monument includes a bowl barrow 500m south of West Down Barn on a north and east facing slope. The barrow has a mound, c.20m in diameter and c.2m high, which has a slight depression in the top, perhaps suggesting excavation in the past. The mound is surrounded by a quarry ditch, c.3m wide and 0.3m deep, visible as a surface depression on all but the western side. ASSESSMENT OF IMPORTANCE 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. Despite evidence for part excavation, the bowl barrow 500m south of West Down Barn is a well preserved example of its class. The barrow will contain archaeological remains which will provide information about Bronze Age burial practices, economy and environment. SCHEDULING HISTORY Monument included in the Schedule on 24th July 1961 as: COUNTY/NUMBER: Dorset 600 NAME: Round barrow north east of Elderton Clump The reference of this monument is now: NATIONAL MONUMENT NUMBER: 27392 NAME: Bowl barrow 500m south of West Down Barn SCHEDULING AFFIRMED ON 24th July 1996

Record last edited

Oct 11 2024 11:32AM