Details

The monument includes a pair of Bronze Age bowl barrows situated 200m WSW of
Beckhampton Buildings on North Down. The barrows form part of a dispersed
barrow cemetery which includes at least 24 barrows. This is one of a number of
cemeteries located on the Downs.
The north eastern barrow has a mound which measures 19m in diameter and stands
up to 1m high. The mound is surrounded by a quarry ditch from which material
was obtained during its construction. This has become infilled over the years
but survives as a buried feature c.2.5m wide.
The south western barrow mound measures 25m in diameter and stands up to 3m
high. The surrounding quarry ditch has become partly infilled but remains
visible at ground level. It survives to its original width of 3m.

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.

The pair of bowl barrows 200m WSW of Beckhampton Buildings form part of a
large cemetery situated on North Down. They survive well and will contain
archaeological and environmental evidence relating to the cemetery and the
landscape in which it was built.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Books and journals
'Wilts Arch and Nat History Society' in W A M: 4, , Vol. XXXVIII, (), P 202
Other
SU 06 NE 736, C.A.O., Bowl Barrow, (1980)
SU06NE 737, CAO, BOWL BARROW, (1986)
Title: Ordnance Survey 1:10560 Series
Source Date: 1956
Author:
Publisher:
Surveyor:
SHEET SU 06 NE
Wiltshire A.M. 107/c, Williams, S.M., AM 107, (1982)

Source: Historic England