Ancient Monuments

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Bowl barrow forming part of a linear round barrow cemetery on Allington Down

A Scheduled Monument in Avebury, Wiltshire

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Coordinates

Latitude: 51.3946 / 51°23'40"N

Longitude: -1.8668 / 1°52'0"W

OS Eastings: 409364.785

OS Northings: 166184.915

OS Grid: SU093661

Mapcode National: GBR 3VY.GVZ

Mapcode Global: VHB4B.L6GQ

Entry Name: Bowl barrow forming part of a linear round barrow cemetery on Allington Down

Scheduled Date: 3 January 1957

Last Amended: 21 August 1995

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1012987

English Heritage Legacy ID: 21877

County: Wiltshire

Civil Parish: Avebury

Traditional County: Wiltshire

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Wiltshire

Church of England Parish: All Cannings All Saints

Church of England Diocese: Salisbury

Details

The monument includes an upstanding bowl barrow, forming part of a Bronze Age
linear round barrow cemetery containing six barrows in all, situated on
Allington Down.
The barrow mound measures 20m in diameter and stands up to 1m high.
Surrounding the mound, but no longer visible at ground level, is a 3m wide
quarry ditch from which material was obtained during its construction. This
has become infilled due to cultivation but will survive buried below the
modern ploughsoil.
Middle Bronze Age and Late Bronze Age pottery sherds have been found in the
mound, in association with burnt bone. This is believed to be part of an
original cremation burial.
The barrow lies immediately east of an ancient boundary which forms a public
right of way.

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

A small number of areas in southern England appear to have acted as foci for
ceremonial and ritual activity during the Neolithic and Early Bronze Age
periods. Two of the best known and earliest recognised, with references in the
17th century, are around Avebury and Stonehenge, now jointly designated as a
World Heritage Site. In the Avebury area, the henge monument itself, the West
Kennet Avenue, the Sanctuary, West Kennet long barrow, Windmill Hill
causewayed enclosure and the enigmatic Silbury Hill are well-known. Whilst the
other Neolithic long barrows, the many Bronze Age round barrows and other
associated sites are less well-known, together they define one of the richest
and most varied areas of Neolithic and Bronze Age ceremonial and ritual
monuments in the country. Round barrow cemeteries date to the Bronze Age
(2000-700 BC). They comprise closely-spaced groups of up to 30 round barrows -
rubble or earthen mounds covering single or multiple burials. Most cemeteries
developed over a considerable period of time, often many centuries, and in
some cases acted as a focus for burials as late as the early medieval period.
They exhibit considerable diversity of burial rite, plan and form, frequently
including several different types of round barrow and occasionally associated
with earlier long barrows. Where investigation beyond the round barrows has
occurred, contemporary or later `flat' burials between the barrow mounds have
often been revealed. Round barrow cemeteries occur across most of lowland
England with a marked concentration in Wessex. In some cases they are
clustered around other important contemporary monuments, as is the case both
here and at Stonehenge. Often occupying prominent locations, they are a major
historic element in the modern landscape, while their diversity and their
longevity as a monument type provide important information on the variety of
beliefs and social organisation amongst early prehistoric communities. All
examples are considered worthy of protection.

This barrow survives well and will contain archaeological and environmental
remains relating to its construction and the landscape in which the cemetery
was built.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Other
SU06NE 622, CAO, BOWL BARROW, (1984)
Title: Devizes and Marlborough
Source Date: 1987
Author:
Publisher:
Surveyor:
Pathfinder 1185
Title: Ordnance Survey 6" Series
Source Date: 1929
Author:
Publisher:
Surveyor:
6"

Source: Historic England

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