Scheduled Monument: BOWL BARROW ON CALTON PASTURES, 1200M WEST OF CALTON HOUSES (1007994)

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. All the barrows on Calton Pastures have been disturbed by excavation and ploughing, but all are nevertheless reasonably well preserved and retain substantial areas of intact archaeological deposits. DETAILS The monument is one of a dispersed alignment of five bowl barrows situated on Calton Pastures in the eastern gritstone moorlands of Derbyshire. It includes a sub-circular mound measuring 17m by 15m and standing c.1m high. Surrounding the barrow, but not included in the scheduling, are earthworks left by ridge and furrow ploughing. This and subsequent ploughing has slightly altered the shape of the barrow, which would originally have been more uniformly circular. A partial excavation carried out by Thomas Bateman in 1850 revealed a pit in the old land surface beneath the centre of the barrow in which was found pieces of burnt lead ore. Bateman interpreted this as evidence for a cremation burial since the other excavated barrows on Calton Pastures had all contained cremations. In addition, two flint scrapers were found after the barrow was ploughed in 1968. Together, the remains indicate a Late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age date for the barrow. SELECTED SOURCES Book Reference - Author: Barnatt, J - Title: The Peak District Barrow Survey (1989) - Date: 1989 Book Reference - Author: Barnatt, J - Title: The Peak District Barrow Survey (1989) - Date: 1989 Book Reference - Author: Bateman, T. - Title: Vestiges of the Antiquities of Derbyshire - Date: 1848 - Page References: 22 - Type: DESC TEXT Book Reference - Author: Bateman, Thomas - Title: Ten Years Diggings in Celtic and Saxon Grave-Hills (1861) - Date: 1861 - Page References: 64-65 - Type: DESC TEXT Book Reference - Author: Marsden B - Title: The Burial Mounds of Derbyshire (1977) - Date: 1977 - Page References: 32-33 - Type: DESC TEXT