Scheduled Monument: WOLFSCOTE HILL BOWL BARROW (1013766)

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. Despite partial disturbance due to excavation, Wolfscote Hill bowl barrow is still a well preserved example containing further significant archaeological remains. Unusually for this region, it is ditched. DETAILS Wolfscote Hill bowl barrow is a large, well preserved barrow situated on the highest point of Wolfscote Hill and visible over a very wide area. Located on the south-western ridges of the limestone plateau of Derbyshire, the monument includes a sub-circular cairn measuring 26m by 24.5m, standing c.2m high and encircled by a rock-cut ditch c.4m wide. Partial excavations carried out by Bateman in 1843 or 1844 and Carrington in 1851 revealed a roofless cist containing two child skeletons and a food vessel. The centre of the barrow was found to have been disturbed prior to the excavations and contained many scattered bones and the fragments of two urns. A single edge-set stone, or orthostat, can also be seen within the cairn. Excluded from the scheduling is the Ordnance Survey trig point located near the centre of the monument but the ground beneath it is included. SELECTED SOURCES Book Reference - Author: Barnatt, J - Title: The Peak District Barrow Survey - Date: 1989 - Type: PLAN: MEASURED Book Reference - Author: Barnatt, J. - Title: The Peak District Barrow Survey - Type: DESC TEXT Book Reference - Author: Bateman, Thomas - Title: Ten Years Diggings in Celtic and Saxon Grave-Hills - Date: 1861 - Page References: 47 - Type: DESC TEXT Book Reference - Author: Marsden, B. M. - Title: The Burial Mounds of Derbyshire - Date: 1986 - Page References: 49 - Type: DESC TEXT Book Reference - Author: Pilkington, J - Title: A View of the Present State of Derbyshire - Date: 1789 - Volume: 2 - Page References: 290 - Type: DESC TEXT - Description: Pagination 297