Bowl Barrow Scheduled Ancient Monument
Bowl Barrow Scheduled Ancient Monument
This circular earth mound is located in the Upper Park and is known locally as the Rolling Pin. The entire monument is thought to consist of the barrow plus a quarry ditch. However, there is no visible evidence of the ditch and only the barrow is scheduled. The barrow is interpreted as a late prehistoric bowl barrow. The flat top of the mound indicates that a later structure was placed on the site, but the secondary uses of the site have not been clarified. To date there have been no archaeological investigations to determine the nature of the monument. It is locally believed that the barrow was the site of a seventeenth century smock mill. The site may also have been used as a belvedere tower. The view from this area of the Park extends out across Chesham town to the hills beyond and on to the Chilterns.
Current condition
The mound was inspected by an English Heritage Historic Environment Field Adviser in November 2007 and was described as being in excellent condition. The barrow is covered with a short sward and has ornamental trees planted around the mound obscuring the view of the town. The root systems of the trees may have caused damage to the barrow when growing, but as the majority are ornamental cherries, when the trees die they will decay in situ which will cause minimal soil disturbance. There is no interpretation so the casual viewer has no concept of the origin or theories surrounding the Rolling Pin or the function of barrows.
Future Plans
The current mowing schedule will be continued to maintain a short grass sward. The barrow will be monitored for signs of wear or damage from humans and rabbit damage. Advice will be sought from English Nature in the event of wear/damage being detected (e.g. were a commonly-used walking route over the barrow to develop).
Based on guidance from English Heritage, no work will be undertaken in the area of the monument that would break the ground surface. If a project of this nature was to be considered in the future, permission would be sought from English Heritage.
A decision will be made concerning the future of the ornamental trees, i.e. to be removed or left in situ. However, if left, once the current trees have died and decayed, no replacement planting will take place to prevent any further damage to the barrow.
Near the monument, an interpretation panel will be erected explaining the Rolling Pin and the development of Chesham, as this provides the best view of the town.
News & Events
The Friends are moving the weekend working party to the second Sunday of the month and the next one will be on Sunday 12 February. We hope to be pruning roses, weeding the beds and then take a look to see if the snowdrops we have planted over the last few years are coming through. We meet at 10am in the Archena Garden which is next to the Temperance Hall in Church Street.
The Friends are hoping to plant around 30 native tree saplings in the Wildlife Area at their working party on Sunday 8 January. They have been donated by the 10th Chesham Guides and were given to them by the Woodland Trust. The varieties of tree include Holly, Wild Rose, Hawthron, Hazel and Dogwood.
We would like to thank Helena Mills who raised £570 for the Friends of Lowndes Park in memory of her good friend Ben Cargill. Over the course of the last summer she took part in not one but three triathlons. Please click on the title for more details and picture.
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