Details

The monument consist of five Bronze Age round barrows, each defined by a
single ditch, ranging from 10m to 30m in diameter. It is situated on a
slight ridge typical of many barrow cemetery locations, 290m to the east
of Old Shifford Farm.
The monument is not visible on the ground, having been reduced by ploughing
over time, but the surrounding ditches are visible on aerial photographs. The
barrows form an irregular alignment running east to south west. The
easternmost and largest barrow is 30m in diameter whilst the smallest is the
penultimate south western barrow, measuring 10m in diameter. The central
barrow of the group has two small sub-circular enclosures measuring 7m to 8m
in diameter abutting its eastern side.
The ditches of these barrows, from which material was quarried to make the
mounds, have become infilled over time, but both the ditch and the remains of
the mounds will preserve archaeological and environmental evidence relating to
the Bronze Age.

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 barrow cemetery 290m east of Old Shifford Farm survives despite levelling
of the barrow mounds by arable cultivation over the years. The ditches will
contain archaeological and environmental evidence relating to their
construction and it is likely that remains of the mound will preserve a buried
land surface and primary burials. In addition, they will provide information
about the landscape prior to the construction of the barrows.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Other
Interpreted by Mrs C A Dyer, RCHME APU, Thames Valley National Mapping Project, (1995)
Interpreted by Mrs C A Dyer, RCHME APU, Thames Valley National Mapping Project, (1995)
Multiple AP's assessed by RCHME APU, MOD, NMR, Ordnance Survey. All at NMR, Vertical and Oblique air photographs,
Multiple AP's assessed by RCHME APU, MOD, Ordnance Survey, NMR, Vertical and Oblique prints held at NMR,
Multiple AP's assessed by RCHME APU, Ordnance Survey, MOD, NMR, Vertical and Oblique air photographs held at NMR,
Multiple AP's assessed by RCHME APU, Ordnance Survey, MOD, NMR, Vertical and Oblique air photographs held at NMR,
NMR SP30SE 174, NMR, NMR Monument Detail, (1993)
SMR 15120, SMR, Oxfordshire Sites and Monuments Record, (1995)
SMR, Oxfordshire Sites and Monuments Record, (1995)
SP30SE 174, NMR, NMR Monument Detail, (1993)
SP30SE 175, NMR, NMR Monument Detail, (1993)
Title: Ordnance Survey 1:10000 SP 30 SE (NMP Overlay)
Source Date: 1993
Author:
Publisher:
Surveyor:

Title: Ordnance Survey 1:10000 SP 30 SE (NMP Overlay)
Source Date: 1993
Author:
Publisher:
Surveyor:

Source: Historic England