Scheduled Monument: Bowl barrow 550m north east of Field Dairy Farm (1015184)

MONUMENT: Bowl barrow 550m north east of Field Dairy Farm PARISH: STURMINSTER MARSHALL DISTRICT: EAST DORSET COUNTY: DORSET NATIONAL MONUMENT NO: 27461 NATIONAL GRID REFERENCE(S): ST93350163 DESCRIPTION OF THE MONUMENT The monument includes a bowl barrow 550m north east of Field Dairy Farm, on the flood plain of the River Stour 110m south of the south bank of the river. The barrow has a mound which is 30m in diameter and a maximum of 1.8m high. The top of the mound is flattened and there is a clear depression c.2m wide running from the south eastern side of the mound to its centre. The eastern side of the mound is also very uneven and both areas of disturbance probably resulted from the part excavation carried out in 1838 by Revd Woolls. These located a primary cremation and other burnt material together with an amber bead and possibly some secondary interments. Surrounding the mound is a quarry ditch from which material was excavated during its construction. This has become infilled over the years but survives as a buried feature 3m wide. All fence posts and the telegraph pole are excluded from the scheduling although the ground beneath these features is included. 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. The bowl barrow 550m north east of Field Dairy Farm is unusually located in a low lying position on the floodplain of the River Stour and may therefore contain waterlogged deposits which provide very good conditions for the preservation of archaeological and environmental remains. It is a well preserved example of its class and is known from part excavation to contain archaeological remains providing information about Bronze Age burial practices, economy and environment. SCHEDULING HISTORY Monument included in the Schedule on 17th October 1932 as: COUNTY/NUMBER: Dorset 119 NAME: Round barrow on Shapwick Marsh The reference of this monument is now: NATIONAL MONUMENT NUMBER: 27461 NAME: Bowl barrow 550m north east of Field Dairy Farm SCHEDULING AFFIRMED ON 07th February 1997

Record last edited

Oct 11 2024 4:07PM