Details

The monument includes a bowl barrow located on the south-eastern end of the
summit of Gratton Hill. It survives as a slightly oval mound up to 0.7m high
with maximum dimensions of 10m by 8.5m. The summit of the barrow is somewhat
uneven and a small modern cairn 0.3m high stands at the centre. Traces of a
ditch up to 1.5m wide and 0.1m deep flank the barrow's north-western side and
a small quarry pit measuring 5m by 3m and up to 0.5m deep lies immediately to
the south of the barrow, cutting the ditch at this point.
Limited excavation at the centre of the monument during the 19th century
located two inhumations, three cremations, three urns and a piece of antler.

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 of the centre of the monument the
bowl barrow at the south-eastern end of the summit of Gratton Hill survives
reasonably well. The excavation located human and faunal remains together
with pottery, and further similar evidence of interments and grave goods will
survive. Unusually for the Peak District this barrow clearly exhibits a
surrounding ditch.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Books and journals
Barnatt, J, The Peak District Barrow Survey (1989), (1989)
Bateman, T, Vestiges of the Antiquities of Derbyshire, (1849)
Other
Darvill,T., MPP Single Monument Class Description - Bowl Barrows, (1988)

Source: Historic England