Monument record MDO5070 - Bowl Barrow in the Launceston Down South Group, Tarrant Launceston

A bowl barrow recorded as a mound around 40 feet in diameter and two feet high, surrounded by a horseshoe-shaped ditch with a causeway on the eastern side. Excavation revealed an original cremation burial with four later cremations. A fifth cremation had been inserted near the edge of the mound at a much later date, and was interpreted as being either Romano-British or pagan Saxon.

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 mound was circa 40 feet in diameter and was enclosed by a penannular ditch, the causeway being on the north east side. The terminals of the ditch extended outwards slightly, giving the ditch a horseshoe-like appearance rather than a circular shape. This horseshoe was preceded by a shallower ditch which had been partly dug away by the later, deeper ditch. This shallow ditch continued uninterrupted in the area of the causeway. In the approximate centre of the enclosed area, beneath the mound, was a large pile of cremated bones representing at least two individuals in a shallow scoop cut into the chalk. Several secondary cremations were also found, at least two of them children.

An inhumation (MDO5071) of unknown date had been inserted just inside the penannular ditch close to the north east terminal, and cutting the earlier, shallower ditch. Its date is unclear but the crouched position of the skeleton suggests a possible pre-Roman date, although the excavators compared it to contracted inhumations of Roman date. <1-2> <4>

Primary cremation with four secondary cremations, one of which was with Late Bronze Age pot with perforated lugs. Intrusive crouched inhumation (MDO5071) probably Romano British or pagan Saxon. <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, Volume 90, p47-80 (Serial). SDO16830.

Piggott, S and CM. Excavation of Barrows on Crichel and Launceston Downs, Dorset. [Barrow 9]

<2> Grinsell, L V, 1959, Dorset Barrows, p119 (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.

'(43) Bowl (95891056), yielding a primary cremation and four secondary cremations, one of them associated with an inverted sub-biconical urn (Arch. J., CXIX (1962), 41, 62). An intrusive crouched inhumation near the edge of the mound was probably Romano-British or pagan Saxon. Diam. 40 ft., ht. 2 ft., with a horseshoe-shaped ditch with a causeway on the E. (Piggott, 9; Dorset Barrows, Long Crichel, No. 22).'

<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, 1249206 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Feb 23 2024 12:55PM