Scheduled Monument: Bowl barrow 600m north east of Beacon Farm (SM29553)

EXTRACT FROM ENGLISH HERITAGE'S RECORD OF SCHEDULED MONUMENTS MONUMENT: Bowl barrow 600m north east of Beacon Farm PARISH: FERNDOWN TOWN DISTRICT: EAST DORSET COUNTY: DORSET NATIONAL MONUMENT NO: 29553 NATIONAL GRID REFERENCE(S): SZ06809948 DESCRIPTION OF THE MONUMENT The monument includes a bowl barrow 600m north east of Beacon Farm, one of a dispersed group of barrows on the heathland of Parley and Ferndown Commons. The barrow has a mound, 32m in diameter and c.3m high, surrounded by a quarry ditch, from which material was excavated during its construction. This survives as a depression 4m wide and up to 0.75m deep. A second barrow c.80m to the south is the subject of a separate scheduling. 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 considered worthy of protection. The bowl barrow 600m north east of Beacon Farm, is one of a dispersed group of barrows on the heathlands of this area and is a well preserved example of its class. It will contain archaeological remains providing information about Bronze Age burial practices, economy and environment. SCHEDULING HISTORY Monument included in the Schedule on 8th November 1928 as: COUNTY/NUMBER: Dorset 95J NAME: Round barrow 420 yards west of Heath Farm The reference of this monument is now: NATIONAL MONUMENT NUMBER: 29553 NAME: Bowl barrow 600m north east of Beacon Farm SCHEDULING AFFIRMED ON 16th May 1997

Record last edited

Feb 14 2017 5:35PM