Monument record MDO5069 - Bowl Barrow in the Launceston Down South Group, Tarrant Launceston

A bowl barrow recorded as a mound around 18 feet in diameter and one foot high. Excavation in 1938 revealed a pit containing a crouched burial with a bronze awl and a pottery urn known as a beaker. Another urn was found in another part of the mound. The barrow is no longer extant as an earthwork.

Round barrows between 200 ft. and 250 ft. above O.D., extend in an irregular line from W.to E. on the northwood-facing slope of a dry combe which falls E. to the Crichel brook. All were excavated in 1938 by S. and C.M Piggott; they are no longer visible on the ground.

An Early Bronze Age bowl barrow, part of a cemetery on Launceston Down excavated in 1938. The barrow is no longer extant as an earthwork. The mound was 18 feet in diameter and up to 1 foot high above the natural chalk. Beneath the mound was a large sub-rectangular grave pit 7 feet by 6 feet in width and 3 feet deep. On the botton of the pit was a crouched inhumation. A beaker had been placed behind the back of the inhumation, and a bronze awl lay by the feet. A small pottery vessel had been inserted into the filling of the grave pit. <1-2> <4>

Primary crouched inhumation with bronze awl at feet and type A beaker touching left shoulder. Secondary Early/Middle Bronze Age urn or degenerate food vessel. <2>

<1> Society of Antiquaries of London, 1944, Archaeologia 90, Volume 90, p47-80 (Serial). SDO16830.

Piggott, S and CM. Excavation of Barrows on Crichel and Launceston Downs, Dorset. [Barrow 17]

<2> Grinsell, L V, 1959, Dorset Barrows, p135 (Monograph). SDO132.

<3> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1963 (Map). SWX1540.

(ST 95501069:ST 95621064:ST 95881056) Tumuli (NR) (sites of) (NAT) (twice)

<4> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1972, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume IV (North), 107 (Monograph). SDO99.

'(42) Bowl (95711050), containing a primary crouched inhumation, associated with a bronze awl and a long-necked beaker, in a large grave cut into the chalk. An urn of 'degenerate food-vessel' type was found in a secondary position in this grave. Diam. 18 ft., ht. 1 ft. (Piggott, 17).'

<5> English Heritage, English Heritage Alternative Action Report, SJ Lobb, MPPA, Mar-2000 (Scheduling record). SDO18279.

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 210103 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

<7> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1249204 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Feb 23 2024 12:55PM