Details

The monument includes a Bronze Age bowl barrow, located in Great Frithsden
Copse 950m SSW of Nettleden Lodge. The barrow occupies an elevated position on
a broad ridge in the Chiltern Hills between the upper Bulbourne Valley to the
south, and the upper valley of the River Gade to the north.
It was discovered by the National Trust during a recent archaeological survey
of the Ashridge Estate (which covers much of the spur) and adjacent areas
within the upper Bulbourne Valley. There are no prior records of the monument
and its appearance suggests it has not been disturbed by antiquarian
excavation. The barrow mound is roughly circular in plan and domed in profile,
measuring approximately 12m in diameter and 0.7m high. In the absence of any
evidence for a surrounding quarry ditch, the mound is thought to have been of
`scraped construction', using turf and earth gathered from its surroundings.
A second barrow, similar in appearance, lies c.40m to the north east
(SM 27184) and two further barrows lie approximately 4km to the north west.

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.

The bowl barrow 950m SSW of Nettleden Lodge survives well. The mound will
contain funerary remains together with other artifacts and structural
evidence, which will provide details concerning the date of the barrow's
construction, the duration of its use and the character of prehistoric ritual
practice. The former ground surface beneath the mound may retain valuable
evidence for activities preceding its construction, and environmental evidence
preserved here will provide insights into the appearance of the landscape in
which the monument was set.
Comparision with other barrows located in the immediate vicinity, and more
widely across the Chiltern Hills, will provide valuable information concerning
variation and development of prehistoric burial practices, and make a
significant contribution to our understanding of prehistoric land use and
settlement patterns in the region.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Books and journals
Morris, M, Wainwright, A, 'Chiltern Archaeology Recent Work A Handbook for the next decade' in Iron Age and Romano-British Settlement, Agriculture and Industry, (1995), 72
Other
Bryant, S, Bronze Age Settlement Patterns In The Upper Bulbourne Valley, (1996)

Source: Historic England