Two mounds situated on the end of a spur in recently replanted woodland. (2-3)

`A' TR 12766380, in fair condition, ditched, with central depression. Overall diameter 22.0m., height 1.0m.

`B' TR 12716377, in poor condition, much spread with no traces of a ditch, it measures some 17.5m. by 15.0m. in diameter and 0.3m. in height. These are almost certainly bowl barrows even though they occur rather unusually on clay. Surveyed at 1:2500. (1)

Scheduled in 1994. (4)

Archaeological assessment in 2002. Barrow A lies 37m NE from Barrow B and not 28m as listed in the English Heritage scheduling description. Barrow A is circular with evidence of a partially silted ditch. A depression 0.6m slightly off centre of the top suggests that the barrow has bee excavated or robbed in the past. The smaller barrow has become 'lost' in undergrowth.

Barrow B is 'sub-circular'. The ditch is almost completely silted up. Both barrows have been planted with Corsican Pine and brambles form a thick layer of undergrowth.

In 1990 a desk based assessment in anticipation of the Thanet Way mentioned the two round barrows. There also appears to be one nearby at Convict's Hill. (5)

To the SE of the barrows (orientated NE-SW) is a low wide rounded bank 2.5 high and 3-3.5m wide.(6)

From the National Heritage for England List:

The monument includes a pair of bowl barrows aligned ENE-WSW, and situated near the top of a clay hill which overlooks the north Kent coast. The north easterly barrow has a circular mound 16m in diameter and survives to a height of around 1m. It has a pronounced central hollow indicating partial excavation at some time in the past. Surrounding the mound is a ditch from which material used to construct the barrow was excavated. This has become partially infilled over the years, but survives as a depression up to 0.4m deep and c.4m wide. Around 28m to the south west is a further barrow which has a subcircular mound measuring 17.5m in diameter and 0.3m high. This is surrounded by an infilled ditch which survives as a buried feature c.4m wide.

Bowl barrows, the most numerous form of round barrow, are funerary monuments dating from the Late Neolithic period to the Late Bronze Age, with most examples belonging to the period 2400-1500 BC. They were constructed as earthen or rubble mounds, sometimes ditched, which covered single or multiple burials. They occur either in isolation or grouped as cemeteries and often acted as a focus for burials in later periods. Often superficially similar, although differing widely in size, they exhibit regional variations in form and a diversity of burial practices. There are over 10,000 surviving bowl barrows recorded nationally (many more have already been destroyed), occurring across most of lowland Britain. Often occupying prominent locations, they are a major historic element in the modern landscape and their considerable variation of form and longevity as a monument type provide important information on the diversity of beliefs and social organisations amongst early prehistoric communities. They are particularly representative of their period and a substantial proportion of surviving examples are considered worthy of protection.

Despite disturbance by tree roots and partial excavation, the pair of bowl barrows in Clowes Wood survive comparatively well and will contain archaeological remains and environmental evidence relating to the monument and the landscape in which it was constructed. This type of funerary monument rarely survives in the clay areas of south eastern England.

Blean LiDAR survey of 2010 shows an enclosure enclosing the barrows? Possibly identified in source 6 above. See TR 16 SW 152.

<1> Inf Mr Bradshaw 9 Forest Cottages Challock (OS Card Reference). SKE44333.

<2> F1 FGA 23.03.65 (OS Card Reference). SKE42961.

<3> Field report for monument TR 16 SW 8 - March, 1965 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5580.

<4> English Heritage scheduling letter 22 Sept 1994 (OS Card Reference). SKE41644.

<5> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1990, Thanet Way: Archaeological Evaluation (Unpublished document). SKE17200.

<6> Nicola Bannister, 2002, Clowes Wood Round Barrows (Unpublished document). SKE15692.