Scheduled Monument: BOWL BARROW ON HADDON FIELDS (1011858)

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION 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. Although the surface of this bowl barrow on Haddon Fields has been disturbed, the old land surface on which burials were placed is still reasonably intact and the monument contains further significant archaeological remains. DETAILS Haddon Fields is situated on the eastern shelves south of Wye Dale on the limestone plateau of Derbyshire. The monument includes the southernmost of two bowl barrows on Haddon Fields and is a sub-circular cairn measuring 20m by 18m by 0.6m high. The profile of the barrow has been lowered by stone- robbing, probably at the time of the Enclosures, and its form has been somewhat distorted by ploughing, as can be seen by the remains of ridge and furrow which surround the monument and truncate its edges. The stone-robbers uncovered a drystone walled cist containing two skeletons and an urn. In addition, in 1824, a partial excavation carried out by W Bateman and S Mitchell led to the discovery of another cist containing bones from both inhumations and cremations. These were accompanied by the sherds of four urns, some dog's teeth and a number of Roman coins. Apart from the latter, the finds indicate a Bronze Age date for the barrow. The coins were a later insertion, dating to the Romano-British period. Another hoard was found near the centre of the barrow, along with lead ore and part of a glass vessel. SELECTED SOURCES Book Reference - Author: Barnatt, J - Title: The Peak District Barrow Survey (1989) - Date: 1989 - Type: DESC TEXT Book Reference - Author: Barnatt, J - Title: The Peak District Barrow Survey (1989) - Date: 1989 - Type: PLAN: MEASURED Book Reference - Author: Bateman, T. - Title: Vestiges of the Antiquities of Derbyshire - Date: 1848 - Page References: 30 - Type: DESC TEXT Book Reference - Author: Marsden B - Title: The Burial Mounds of Derbyshire (1977) - Date: 1977 - Page References: 77 - Type: DESC TEXT Article Reference - Author: Ward, J - Title: Notes on some Derbys Antiquities from S Mitchell's Memoranda - Date: 1908 - Volume: 30 - Page References: 155 - Type: DESC TEXT