Monument record MDO5068 - Bowl Barrow in the Launceston Down South Group, Tarrant Launceston

A bowl barrow recorded as surviving as a mound around 25 feet in diameter and one foot high. Excavation in 1938 revealed that the barrow had been dug into at an earlier period, probably by an antiquarian. 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 25 feet in diameter and 1.2 feet high. A central oval grave pit beneath the mound contained among its fill the fragmentary bones of a human skeleton and sherds of a small Beaker. The excavators interpreted the pit's contents as representing a disturbed Beaker inhumation. <1> <4>

Probably primary inhumation with very small degenerate type A beaker. <2>

Visited by MPPA in March 2000, but since all are heavily denuded, not recommended for scheduling. <5>

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

Piggott, S and CM. Excavation of Barrows on Crichel and Launceston Downs, Dorset. [barrow 16]

<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.

'(41) Bowl (95771060), apparently disturbed by earlier digging, probably had contained a primary inhumation associated with a small long-necked beaker; diam. 25 ft., ht. 1 ft. (Piggott, 16).'

<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, 1249162 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Feb 23 2024 12:54PM