Scheduled Monument: BOWL BARROW ON CALTON PASTURES, 850M SOUTH OF CALTON HOUSES (1007998)

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 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 roughly circular flat-topped mound measuring 21m by 19m and standing c.1m high. A partial excavation of the barrow was carried out by Thomas Bateman in 1850 when a disturbed sandstone cist or grave was found containing the remains of a cremation and some burnt lead ore. The discoveries date the barrow to the Bronze Age. 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, Thomas - Title: Ten Years Diggings in Celtic and Saxon Grave-Hills - Date: 1861 - Page References: 64-65 - Type: DESC TEXT