Scheduled Monument: BRADLEY PARK BOWL BARROW (1008067)

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 Bradley Park bowl barrow has been somewhat disturbed by ploughing and small-scale excavation, it is still reasonably well-preserved and retains substantial archaeological remains. DETAILS The monument is a bowl barrow situated in the former Bradley Park in the southern ridges of the Derbyshire Peak District. It includes a sub-circular earth mound measuring 23.5m by 18m and standing c.0.5m high. Originally the mound would have been more uniformly circular and somewhat higher, but ploughing has caused it to spread along its east-west axis. A partial excavation of the barrow was carried out by Greaves in 1860 when the remains of a human cremation burial were found on the old land surface beneath the mound, accompanied by a collared urn and a bronze knife. These remains date the barrow to the Bronze Age. A second mound, 80m to the south-west, was also investigated by Greaves but no remains were identified. The status of this second ploughed down mound as a barrow has not been confirmed and so it is has not been included in the scheduling. 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 Article Reference - Author: Greaves, ? - Date: 1861 - Journal Title: Archaeological Journal - Page References: 69-70 - Type: DESC TEXT