Scheduled Ancient Monument: BOWL BARROW 250M NORTH WEST OF PIN FARM (31095)

The monument includes a bowl barrow and is located in the north east corner of a modern field, approximately 300m north of the prehistoric trackway known as the Icknield Way. The barrow is visible as an earthen mound, stands to a height of approximately 0.4m and has a diameter of about 30m. Parts of the barrow were investigated in 1969 by F Petersen who dug a complete cross section through the mound, excavating a large area of the centre, together with stretches of the encircling ditch. The ditch was shown to be up to 4.85m wide and 1.8m deep. The mound was discovered to be made up of an inner core of sand capped by an outer layer of gravel, suggesting that it was created from spoil derived from the ditch. The centre of the mound had been cut through by a previous robber trench which had disturbed both the central burial and several other inhumation and cremation burials. What remained of the central burial included fragments of human bone, sherds of pottery and a single amber bead. In the vicinity of the grave were piles of human bone, relating to at least six individuals. Undisturbed peripheral burials in the south east quadrant of the mound consisted of four inhumations and seven cremations. The layout of these periphal burials, in an arc around the edge of the mound, suggested a small organised cemetery, perhaps used by a single community for a comparatively limited period of time.