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Summary

Ballowall Barrow (or Carn Gluze) consists of a central domed structure, containing cists and with a pit beneath, surrounded by an outer cairn also containing cists. An entrance grave is located in the external side of the outer cairn.

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 15410: THE BALLOWALL BARROW INCORPORATING ENTRANCE GRAVE, CAIRN, RITUAL PITS AND CISTS 420M WSW OF BOLLOWAL FARM

Other References/Statuses

• National Mapping Programme (Morph No.): 322.22.1
• OS No. (OS Quarter-sheet and OS No.): SW33SE 24
• Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 29786
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)
• SMR No. (OS Quarter-sheet and SMR No.): SW33SE 122

Monument Type(s):

• CIST (Bronze Age - 2500 BC to 801 BC)
• ENTRANCE GRAVE (Bronze Age - 2500 BC to 801 BC)

Full description

Ballowall Barrow (or Carn Gluze Barrow) is marked as a chambered cairn on current OS maps (b11). This site was discovered under mining debris in 1878 and was excavated by WC Borlase (b1,b2,b3). The monument consists of a central domed structure, containing cists and with a pit beneath, surrounded by an outer cairn also containing cists. An entrance grave is located in the external side of the outer cairn.

After excavation, Borlase conserved the mound structure to display the more prominent features. This involved building a new retaining wall which has changed the appearance of the outer mound from a round cairn to a ring cairn. Interpretation of the sequence of the site is problematic, due to the patchy antiquarian excavation records and from the restoration.

Sharpe's survey (h5) and report of 1990 (b13) re-assesses the excavation record and provides alternative sequences of mound construction, postulated in the light of recent studies of entrance graves and barrows. One of the cists found within the central part of the mound was a double cist, formed with a cental granite dividing stone. Pottery finds (29786. 01) included a stone spindle whorl (or possibly a large bead), animal and human bones.

The monument was included in the Schedule on 10/8/1923 and the scheduling was updated on 22/2/1996. The site is visible on aerial photographs (p1-3) and was plotted as part of the NMP.

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Site history:
h1: 1960. GEARY, E / OS
h2: 1975. FLETCHER, MJ / OS
h3: 1981. SHEPPARD, PA / DOE
h4: 1985. SHEPPARD, PA / DOE
h5: 1989. SHARPE, A AND NOWAKOWSKI, J / CAU
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Borlase, WC, 1878, The Athenaeum, 21/9/1878, 375 (Bibliographic reference). SCO2894.

CAU, 198, F6, 59 (Photographic Record). SCO16724.

Borlase, WC, 1878, Archaeological Discoveries in the Parishes of St Just-in-Penwith and Sennen, VOL VI, 195-201, PLS 194, 198, 206 (Article in Journal). SCO5166.

CAU, 198, F6, 65 (Photographic Record). SCO16725.

BORLASE, WC, 1881, UNKNOWN TITLE, XLIX, 189-194, PLAN 190 (Unedited Source). SCO6373.

CAU, 1988, F15, 41 (Photographic Record). SCO17134.

Borlase, WC, 1882, Laregan Museum List (Unpublished document). SCO2891.

Lukis, WC & Borlase, WC, 1885, Prehistoric Stone Monuments: Cornwall, VOL 6, 24, PL XVI (Bibliographic reference). SCO3881.

Page, W (Editor), 1906, Victoria History of the County of Cornwall, VOL I, 359, 361, 362, PL 360 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4068.

Hencken, H O'N, 1932, The Archaeology of Cornwall and Scilly, 40-42, 95, 299, 313, PLAN 41, PL VI (Bibliographic reference). SCO3489.

Patchett, FM, 1944, Cornish Bronze Age Pottery, VOL CI, 17-49 (Article in Journal). SCO4087.

Patchett, FM, 1950, Cornish Bronze Age Pottery: Part II, VOL CVII, 44-65 (Article in Journal). SCO4088.

Fox, A, 1964, South West England, 52-54, 233, PLS 7, 8 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3332.

Ordnance Survey, 1970s, 1:10,000 OS Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4045.

Barnatt, J, 1982, Prehistoric Cornwall: The Ceremonial Monuments, 46, 49-50, 150-154, 246 (Bibliographic reference). SCO2777.

Sharpe, A, 1990, Ballowall Barrow at Carn Gluze, St. Just-in-Penwith, Cornwall: a new survey and re-assessment (Cornwall Event Report). SCO2059.

Cornwall Council, 2017, Distinctiveness Assessment and Evaluation (Report). SCO27790.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds

• FCO3821 - ANIMAL REMAINS (Bronze Age - 2500 BC to 801 BC)
• FCO3820 - BEAD (Bronze Age - 2500 BC to 801 BC)
• FCO3015 - HUMAN REMAINS (Bronze Age - 2500 BC to 801 BC)
• FCO3014 - SPINDLE WHORL (Bronze Age - 2500 BC to 801 BC)
• FCO8746 - POT (Early Bronze Age to Middle Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 1501 BC)
• FCO8747 - POT (Early Bronze Age to Middle Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 1501 BC)
• FCO8748 - POT (Early Bronze Age to Middle Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 1501 BC)

Associated Events: none recorded

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