Details

The monument includes a large bell barrow set on level ground 1km south-
east of the River Enborne. The barrow is 55m in diameter and stands to a
height of 2m. The central mound has a diameter of 30m. This is surrounded by
a berm c.5m across, a low bank and a ditch from which the mound material
was quarried. This survives to a width of 7.5m and is 0.5m deep.
A hollow in the centre of the mound suggests it may have been partially
excavated, probably in the 19th century.

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.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

Bell barrows, the most visually impressive form of round barrow, are funerary
monuments dating to the early and middle Bronze Age, with most examples
belonging to the period 1600-1300 bc. They occur either in isolation or in
round barrow cemeteries and were constructed as single or multiple mounds
covering burials, often in pits, and surrounded by an enclosure ditch. The
burials are frequently accompanied by weapons, personal ornaments, and pottery
and appear to be those of aristocratic individuals, usually men. Bell barrows
[particularly multiple barrows] are rare nationally, with less than 250 known
examples, most of which are in Wessex. Their richness in terms of grave goods
provides evidence for chronological and cultural links amongst early
prehistoric communities over most of southern and eastern England as well as
providing an insight into their beliefs and social organisation. As a
particularly rare form of round barrow, all identified bell barrows would
normally be considered to be of national importance.

The Brimpton Common barrow is particularly important as it survives well,
and despite some evidence for partial excavation, has potential for the
recovery of archaeological remains. Its importance is further enhanced by
its inclusion within a linear barrow cemetery. Such cemeteries give an
indication of the intensity with which an area was settled during prehistory
and provide evidence for the variety of beliefs and the nature of social
organisation in the Bronze Age.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Other
Berkshire SMR, 1036.02,

Source: Historic England