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.
The bowl barrow 430m WSW of Burnham Westgate Hall survives well, despite
limited disturbance caused by excavation for the insertion of a pillbox on the
north west side, and will retain archaeological information concerning its
construction and the manner and duration of its use. The installation of the
pill box in the side of the mound is an instructive example of one of the
various ways in which such earthworks have sometimes been exploited for
subsequent use up to the present day.
Details
The monument is located to the north of Goose Beck, at the western edge of
Burnham Westgate Park alongside Whiteway Road, and includes a bowl barrow
which is visible as an earthen mound, standing to a height of c.3m and
covering a circular area c.30m in diameter. The mound is thought to be
encircled by a ditch from which earth was dug and used in the construction of
the barrow, and although this has become infilled and can no longer be traced
on the ground surface on the north, south and east sides, it will survive as a
buried feature. On the west side the buried ditch extends beneath the Whiteway
Road. Here the survival of archaeological remains is considered unlikely and
therefore this area is not included within the scheduling. Also included are
the remains of a World War II pill box, inserted into the north west side of
the mound overlooking the road and facing the coast. The pill box is octagonal
in plan with a partly collapsed entrance on the south side and is constructed
of concrete faced with brick.
MAP EXTRACT
The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.
It includes a 2 metre boundary around the archaeological features,
considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.
