Scheduled Ancient Monument: FIVE BOWL BARROWS 590M NORTH EAST OF BERNERSFIELD FARM (31118-03)

The monument, which is in three separate areas of protection, includes five bowl barrows situated in a roughly east-west alignment. The monument is known locally as the Icklingham barrow cemetery. The first area includes three barrows. The westernmost barrow is visible as a large earthen mound, which stands to a height of about 1m and covers a circular area of about 38m in diameter. A second bowl barrow stands approximately 36m to the WNW of the first, and survives as a circular mound, about 31m in diameter and 0.4m high. A third bowl barrow is situated approximately 20m to the south east of the second, and is visible as a roughly circular mound, with a diameter of about 38m and a height of about 0.5m. The second area includes a fourth bowl barrow, standing approximately 140m further to the east of the third barrow. It is visible as a circular mound, about 36m in diameter and 1m high. The third area includes a fifth barrow, standing a further 130m to the north east of the fourth barrow. It is visible as a roughly circular earthern mound with a diameter of about 41m and a height of 0.7m. It is thought that all five mounds are encircled by ditches from which earth was quarried during the construction of the barrows. Although these have now become completely infilled and are no longer visible, they will survive as buried features below the ground surface. Four barrows from this group are identified on Hodskinson's 1783 Map of Suffolk whilst the third, fourth and fifth barrows are recorded as having been investigated by Henry Prigg between 1866 and 1872. The five barrows are thought to be the survivors of a larger group of barrows including at least two other barrows, no longer visible, which are thought to have stood approximately 140m and 200m to the north of the group. It is believed that one of these two was investigated by Henry Prigg junior in 1873. The mound, which was constructed of sand, contained a central grave. The remains of five cremation burials were also recorded, and amongst the finds were two small vessels (a cinerary urn and a plain drinking cup) and several pieces of worked flint. A further barrow which is sited approximately 700m to the south of the monument is the subject of a separate scheduling. The pheasant pen which surrounds part of the first barrow and the fences to the south of the second and south west of the third barrow are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath them is included.