Summary of Monument
Three bowl barrows including Longstone Barrow and two further barrows 220m and 360m to the south east.
Reasons for Designation
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. 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. Despite some disturbance by partial excavation the three bowl barrows including Longstone barrow survive well and will contain important archaeological and environmental evidence relating to its construction, use and landscape context.
History
See Details.
Details
This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 4 November 2015. This record has been generated from an "old county number" (OCN) scheduling record. These are monuments that were not reviewed under the Monuments Protection Programme and are some of our oldest designation records.
This monument, which falls into three areas, includes three bowl barrows situated on a prominent ridge which acts as a watershed between tributaries for several rivers including the Barbrook, River Barle, West Lyn River and the River Bray. The westernmost is known as Longstone Barrow and survives as an oval mound measuring 34m long by 32.8m wide and 2.7m high. It is surrounded by a partially buried ditch up to 5.5m wide and 0.5m deep. The profile of the mound indicates a buried kerb and a hollow in the top represents the site of a partial early excavation. The central barrow survives as an oval mound measuring 24.8m long by 23.4m wide and up to 1.3m high. This one also has an excavation hollow and the surrounding quarry ditch survives as a buried feature. The eastern barrow survives as an oval mound 26.2m long by 24.6m wide and up to 0.6m high, with a ring bank. The surrounding quarry ditch survives as a buried feature.
Other barrows and standing stones survive in the vicinity, but they are not included in the scheduling because they have not been formally assessed.
Selected Sources
Other
PastScape Monument Nos:-35355 and 35358
National Grid Reference: SS 70732 42767, SS 70893 42629, SS 71044 42608