Monument record 4108/1/1 - Possible Post Medieval Windmill Mound

An earthwork mound said to have been a round barrow, but more likely to have been a windmill mound.

{1} The mound is 23m in diameter and 2.7m high, with a large central depression 1m deep. It is surrounded by a shallow ditch 0.5m deep, with traces of a ramp or causeway across it on the south side. It is respected by the surrounding ridge and furrow. The site has been said to be a round barrow but it is more likely to be a medieval windmill mound.

{2} Scheduled as burial mound by Ancient Monuments Act.

{3} MOPBW have scheduled a "round barrow" west of Pipewell Upper Lodge. The barrow identification is to some extent supported by the "Barrow Ley" field names to the north and north east of Pipewell Upper Lodge (field name map in NRO).

{5} Mound still extant. Marked hollow visible in top of mound. Surrounding ridge and furrow destroyed by modern cultivation.

{7} Situated at SP 82348523 is a large pond bay. It is gapped centrally, probably marking the site of a mill, and by-passed to the south. This latter has been recut to form the present stream course. To the north on the same alignment is an elongated quarry, obviously for the dam, and further on again at SP 82328552 is a mill mound. See annotated 25" survey.

{8} This mound is situated in a prominent position circa 43.0m above sea level with excellent all round visibility; it is now covered with shrub. The feature has a maximum diameter of 16.0m with a height of 2.7m, and in the top is a depression some 6.0m wide and 0.9m deep. There are only vestiges of a surrounding ditch, most obvious on the western flank where it can be seen to have a width of approx 2.0m (certainly not 20 ft as mentioned by authority 2) and a max. depth of 0.2m. There is a pronounced ramp in the SE quadrant from the top of the mound to ground level.

The engineering, sharp slope profile, ramp and topographical situation adjacent to an ancient wide beast road, all suggest it to be a mill mound.

The surrounding area is under fresh plough; only normal field debris noted. There is no local knowledge of a field name.

{9, 10} MPBW have this `Mill Mound' scheduled as a round barrow. Their record, consulted 6.5.71 (2) gives:
"A rifled round barrow with ditch. Diameter across top 10 yds;
height 8ft. Ditch 2ft deep and 20ft across. Circumference, outside ditch, 100 yds. Large hole in centre; ploughing in adjoining field appears to finish at ditch."

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.173 Site 9 (unchecked) (Series). SNN77380.

<2> BROWN A.E., 1967, Ancient Monuments in Northamptonshire, p.37 (checked) (Chapter). SNN166.

<3> Brown A.E., 1970, A Gazetteer of Prehistoric and Roman Sites and Finds in The Welland Valley, Northamptonshire, 4/57 (unchecked) (Article). SNN38939.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP88NW15 (unchecked) (Index). SNN443.

<5> Cadman, G.E., 1995, Windmill mound at Wilbarston, (unchecked) (SMR Report Form). SNN61865.

<6> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, Used with NMR & CUCAP collections (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<7> Seaman, BH, 1969, Field investigators comments, F1 BHS 01-OCT-1969 (Notes). SNN111907.

<8> Colquhoun, FD, 1975, Field Investigator's Comments, F2 FDC 06-OCT-1975 (Notes). SNN115611.

<9> Miscellaneous documents, AM's Eng/Wales 1963 (Document). SNN57469.

<10> Miscellaneous documents, MPBW File No.96 (Document). SNN57469.

Record last edited

Apr 25 2025 4:09PM