Scheduled Monument: Two bowl barrows at Gibbet Firs, 950m south west and 1080m south west of Palmers Ford Works (1016091)

EXTRACT FROM ENGLISH HERITAGE'S RECORD OF SCHEDULED MONUMENTS MONUMENT: Two bowl barrows at Gibbet Firs, 950m south west and 1080m south west of Palmers Ford Works PARISH: HURN DISTRICT: CHRISTCHURCH COUNTY: DORSET NATIONAL MONUMENT NO: 29563 NATIONAL GRID REFERENCE(S): SZ09729970 SZ09719955 DESCRIPTION OF THE MONUMENT The monument, which lies in two areas, includes two bowl barrows at Gibbet Firs on East Parley Common, close to the parish boundary between Hurn and Ferndown Town. The northern barrow has a mound 16m in diameter and 1.8m high surrounded by a quarry ditch, 3m wide, from which material was excavated during its construction. The southern barrow has a mound 20m in diameter and 2m high surrounded by a quarry ditch, 3m wide. A 19th century gibbet formerly stood between the two barrows but there is now no trace of it. All fence posts 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 two bowl barrows on East Parley Common are part of a dispersed group of barrows on the heathland in this area. Well preserved examples of their class, they will contain archaeological remains providing information about Bronze Age burial practices, economy and environment. MONUMENT INCLUDED IN THE SCHEDULE ON 25th September 1997

Record last edited

Oct 7 2024 3:08PM