Scheduled Monument: Raunds Bowl Barrow (1012452)

DESCRIPTION OF THE MONUMENT The barrow at Raunds is situated 500m to the north-west of Redlands Farm and just to the north-east of a lake which is located on the western side of the A605. It lies on low-lying ground in the valley of the River Nene. The barrow consists of a low round mound which is 23m in diameter and 0.3m high. Around the barrow mound there are traces of a ditch about 2m wide. ASSESSMENT OF IMPORTANCE 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. This large bowl barrow, lying close to the valley floor, is essentially undisturbed and will retain considerable potential for the preservation of archaeological and environmental evidence.

Record last edited

Mar 18 2024 10:58AM