Details

The scheduling includes three round barrows situated on near level ground on a
ridge east of St Agnes. The three barrows lie in a roughly linear formation
running north west-south east. The scheduling is divided into three separate
areas of protection.
The northernmost barrow is ovoid in plan, with an earth and stone mound
measuring approximately 21m north west-south east by 15.3m north east-south
west and 0.5m high.
The central barrow has an earth and stone mound approximately 14m in diameter
and 0.3m high. It has a slightly asymmetrical profile, its south east side
being rather more prominent.
The southernmost barrow has an earth and stone mound approximately 18m in
diameter and 0.5m high, with a gently curving profile. The monument is closely
associated with other round barrows which are the subject of a seperate
scheduling, together forming a barrow cemetery running north west-south east
along the ridge top.

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 barrows 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 mounds, sometimes ditched, which covered
single or multiple burials. They occur either in isolation or grouped as
cemeteries and often acted as a focus of 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 examples recorded nationally (many more have already
been destroyed), occurring across most of Britain, including the Wessex area
where it is often possible to classify them more closely, for example as bowl
or bell barrows. Often occupying prominent locations, they are a major
historic element in the modern landscape and their considerable variation in
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 three round barrows 255m north west of Ropewalk Farm survive reasonably
well. Despite evidence for some reduction by ploughing, and for limited
truncation of the edge of the north western barrow, their mounds remain
substantially intact. The underlying old land surface and any original
deposits associated with the mounds on and below the old land surface, will
also remain.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Other
Local resident to Preston-Jones, A, (1988)
Ordnance Survey, 69 309 228, (1969)
SW 75 SW 5, King, AN, Ordnance Survey Index Card, (1971)
Thomas, R, Letter to the West Briton, (1851)
Title: Ordnance Survey 1:2500 Map
Source Date: 1880
Author:
Publisher:
Surveyor:

Title: Ordnance Survey 1:2500 Map
Source Date: 1907
Author:
Publisher:
Surveyor:

Title: St Agnes Tithe Apportionment
Source Date: 1840
Author:
Publisher:
Surveyor:

Title: St Agnes Tithe Apportionment
Source Date: 1840
Author:
Publisher:
Surveyor:
180
Young, A to Parkes, C, (2000)

Source: Historic England