Scheduled Monument: MONEYSTONES BOWL BARROW SOUTH (1010971)

REASON 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 partially disturbed by excavation, the southern Moneystones bowl barrow is still a well preserved example containing further significant archaeological remains. DETAILS The southernmost barrow at Moneystones is a roughly circular cairn situated on the western upland ridges of the limestone plateau of Derbyshire. The monument includes a mound measuring 7m by 7.5m surviving to a height of 1m and with a protruding kerb of limestone blocks. The monument is associated with a second bowl barrow, lying c.120m to the north-west. Partial excavation carried out by Thomas Bateman in 1848 revealed two crouched inhumations on the old land surface, accompanied by flint artefacts and flakes. From this, a Bronze Age date has been assigned to the barrow. A third skeleton was also found, lying towards the centre of the mound nearer to the surface. This skeleton had been buried at a later date than the others, indicating that the barrow had been in use over an extended period of time. SELECTED SOURCES Book Reference - Author: Barnatt, J. - Title: The Peak District Barrow Survey - Type: DESC TEXT Book Reference - Author: Barnatt, J. - Title: The Peak District Barrow Survey - Type: PLAN: MEASURED Book Reference - Author: Bateman, Thomas - Title: Ten Years Diggings in Celtic and Saxon Grave-Hills (1861) - Date: 1861 - Page References: 40 - Type: DESC TEXT Book Reference - Author: Marsden B - Title: The Burial Mounds of Derbyshire (1977) - Date: 1977 - Page References: 49 - Type: DESC TEXT