Details

The monument includes a round barrow cemetery containing five bowl barrows
situated in a line, orientated north east-south west, on the edge of a ridge
in Quomp Copse, 540m east of Park Cottages. The mounds of the barrows vary in
diameter between 7.5m and 13m and in height between 0.6m and 1m. Each mound is
surrounded by a ditch from which material for its construction was quarried.
The north eastern and south western barrow, at each end of the line, lie
within circular earthwork enclosures. These include a bank, ditch and outer
bank with overall diameters of 20m and 30m respectively; they are believed to
be tree planting enclosures of more recent date.
All fence posts are excluded from the scheduling although the ground beneath
these features is included.

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

Round barrow cemeteries date to the Bronze Age (c.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, occasionally associated with earlier
long barrows. Where large scale investigation has been undertaken around them,
contemporary or later "flat" burials between the barrow mounds have often been
revealed. Round barrow cemeteries occur across most of lowland Britain, with a
marked concentration in Wessex. In some cases, they are clustered around other
important contemporary monuments such as henges. Often occupying prominent
locations, they are a major historic element in the modern landscape, whilst
their diversity and their longevity as a monument type provide important
information on the variety of beliefs and social organisation amongst early
prehistoric communities. They are particularly representative of their period
and a substantial proportion of surviving or partly-surviving examples are
considered worthy of protection.

The round barrow cemetery in Quomp Copse 540m east of Park Cottages is
comparatively well preserved and will contain archaeological remains
containing information about Bronze Age burial practices, economy and
environment. The earthwork enclosures are unusual features and provide
evidence of woodland management and the respect shown for earlier monuments.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Books and journals
Aitken, P, A Group of Earthworks in Quomp Copse, Hurn, (1975)
Aitken, P, A Group of Earthworks in Quomp Copse, Hurn, (1975)

Source: Historic England