Scheduled Monument: Bowl barrow 620m south of Ordnance Survey triangulation pillar in Ringwood Forest (1009036)

DESCRIPTION OF THE MONUMENT. This monument includes a bowl barrow situated at the eastern end of an east to west orientated ridge overlooking the valley of the Moors River. The barrow mound measures 17m in diameter and stands up to 1.8m high. A hollow in the north-east side of the mound suggests a previous partial excavation. Although no longer visible at ground level, a ditch, from which material was quarried during the construction of the barrow, surrounds the mound. This has become infilled over the years but survives as a buried feature c. 2m wide. 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 considererd worthyy of protection. Despite evidence for partial excavation, the bowl barrow survives comparatively well and retains undisturbed remains of considerable archaeological potential.

Record last edited

Oct 22 2024 3:51PM