Details

The monument includes Rye Low bowl barrow located on a locally high point near
the western edge of a broad ridgetop 370m east of New House. It survives as
an oval earthen mound up to 1.5m high with maximum dimensions of 37m by 31m.
Limited antiquarian investigation of the monument's centre located excellently
preserved deposits of vegetation comprising turf, moss, leaves, rushes, wood
chips, heather and wood vetch. Insects including housefly, ants and beetles
were also found. Beneath these deposits were cremated bones and flint
artefacts.

MAP EXTRACT
The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.
It includes a 2 metre boundary around the archaeological features,
considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

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.

Despite limited antiquarian investigation at the mound's centre, Rye Low bowl
barrow survives well. The monument is a rare example in Staffordshire of a
bowl barrow containing well preserved deposits of vegetation matter and
insects, and further evidence of environmental material, interments and grave
goods will exist within the mound and upon the old landsurface.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Books and journals
Barnatt, J, The Peak District Barrow Survey (1989), (1989)
Bateman, , Ten Years Digging (1861), (1861)
Sheldon, , 'Leek Times' in Leek Times 7-11, (1894)
Sheldon, , 'Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of London' in Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of London, (1894)
Other
Darvill, T, MPP Single Monument Class Descriptions - Bowl Barrows (1988), (1988)

Source: Historic England