Monument record 271/0/1 - Sulgrave bowl barrow

Sulgrave bowl barrow lies 1.5km to the north of Sulgrave village, on the south side of Banbury Lane. This Bronze Age bowl barrow consists of a mound up to 2m high and probably a surrounding ditch. Earthwork: Non-destructive fieldwork

{1} Earthwork of tumulus shown. [SP 55934716].

{2} There is a barrow below Barrow Hill, one mile N of Sulgrave, on the S side of Banbury Lanel.

{3} Plan.

{6} Ordnance Survey mapping suggests a bowl barrow.

{7} Mound, possibly a round barrow, on the summit of a rounded hill known as Barrow Hill. The mound is 22m in diameter x 2m high and is rather conical. It has been damaged by ploughing round its base and no trace of a surrounding ditch can be seen except on the north side. It may be the site of a medieval windmill.

{11} An oval mound up to 2m high x 40m x 25m. Large stones are exposed on the west side, suggesting internal burial cists. The surrounding ditch is not visible.

{13} Sulgrave bowl barrow lies 1.5km to the north of Sulgrave village, on the south side of Banbury Lane. This Bronze Age bowl barrow consists of a mound up to 2m high and probably a surrounding ditch. The mound is oval in shape and measures approximately 25m x 40m. The peak of the clay mound lies at the northern end. Some large stones are exposed on the west side of the barrow mound suggesting the presence of internal burial cists or chambers used to inter the remains of the dead. Most of the barrow mound is intact but the site has been partly disturbed by badgers and it is not possible to trace a surrounding ditch, although one is likely to survive below ground.

{14} Generally unsatisfactory with major localised problems: animal burrowing-moderate

{15} Magnetometry and resistivity surveys were carried out in 2017 as part of a Natural England funded project to exclude badgers from the site. As part of the project Historic England required work to establish the location of the ring ditch and to assist the understanding of the monument. The surveys found that the mound area has been too tunnelled by badgers to enable any meaningful interpretation. No large curved ditch, of the type expected for Bronze Age barrows, was found. Possible ditches to the north and east of the mound were located but may or may not be associated with the mound. The possibility of the mound being a moot or tump instead was posited.

{17} A bowl barrow located on the crest of Barrow Hill, with a good outlook to the S. It is some 22.0m diameter, and 2.0m high on the N.side, but mutilation by rabbits,etc,has badly distorted its profile on the S.side. On the N.side there is a slight trace of ditch in the lusher vegetation at the base of the mound.
AM survey 1:2500

{18} Sketch of bowl barrow;

<1> Ordnance Survey, 1955, OS 6 Inch Map Series, (unchecked) (Map). SNN9255.

<2> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.418 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<3> Ordnance Survey, OS 25 Inch Map, (unchecked) (Map). SNN9257.

<4> Whellan, 1874, History, Topography & Directory of Northamptonshire, p.457 (unchecked) (Book). SNN1002.

<5> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, RAF CPE/UK/1994 fr.1098-99 13-APR-47 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<5> Crank, N. (Editor), 2021, South Midlands Archaeology (51), p. 50 (Journal). SNN113326.

<6> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP54NE8 (unchecked) (Index). SNN443.

<7> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.141/Site 8 (checked) (Series). SNN77382.

<9> 1961, H.M.S.O. List, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN8489.

<11> English Heritage, 1992, English Heritage Scheduling Notification, (unchecked) (Report). SNN47128.

<12> Bailey, S., c.1994, Sulgrave Round Barrow, (checked) (Photographic prints (B&W)). SNN108995.

<13> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 1986, DOE Scheduled Ancient Monuments: Northamptonshire (Parts 5-8) (Schedule). SNN104787.

<14> Historic England, 2016, Heritage at Risk: East Midlands Register 2016, p. 56 (Report). SNN110747.

<15> Ainslie, R, 2017, Sulgrave Barrow Geophysical Survey, August 2017 (Report). SNN110780.

<16> Historic England, 2017, Heritage at Risk: East Midlands Register 2017, p. 64 (Report). SNN111090.

<16> Historic England, 2018, Heritage at Risk: East Midlands Register 2018, p. 64 (Report). SNN111434.

<17> Tittensor, A J, 1976, Field Investigator's Comments (Notes). SNN113157.

<18> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/257/9 (Archive). SNN115.

Record last edited

Feb 4 2025 7:59PM