Monument record 2644/0/1 - Possible Bronze Age Round Barrow

Ring ditch on air photograph. The round barrow was excavated prior to gravel extraction. No associated burials were found.

{1} Trial excavation in 1978. The barrow, still standing 1m high, had spread to a diameter of 55m completely sealing the ditch. The pre-barrow land surface is roughly level with the mosern ground level but burrowing animals had disturbed much of the stratification.

{4} Excavation revealed that the mound had been disturbed in the recent past, that the pre-barrow surface would be difficult to define, and that the gravel excavated from the ditch was redeposited within the barrow. The barrow was removed in 1980 and a watching brief confirmed the initial impressions. No burials were found. A central grave would certainly have been detected but unurned cremations may nothave been. !9th century champagne bottles hinted at earlier exploration.
The barrow platform was about 35m in diameter and there may have been a narrow berm between the mound and the ditch when first constructed. The mound had spread to cover double the original area, although still standing 1m high. This suggests the barrow was initially of no mean height.

{5} Cropmark ring ditch 23m in diameter.

{6} Aerial photos NCCAP:TL0592/061-067.

{7} A watching brief during the destruction of a round barrow during quarrying failed to locate any burials, and no dating evidence was found. Disturbance of the mound in the 19th century was confirmed.

{?} The earthwork of a Bronze Age round mound still survives despite ploughing.

<1> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1979, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1978, 14/104 (checked) (Article). SNN45225.

<2> Hall, D. (Ed.), 1979, CBA Group 9 Newsletter, 9/51 (checked) (Journal). SNN6570.

<3> Jackson, D., 1980, SMR Report Form, (checked) (SMR Report Form). SNN49671.

<4> Jackson, D., 1980, Tansor Gravel Quarry (Warmington) 1978-80, (checked) (Unpublished Report). SNN57358.

<5> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1975, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.106/Site 4 (checked) (Series). SNN77379.

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

<7> Brown A.E. (ed.), 1981, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1980, p200 Warmington (Article). SNN100418.

<8> Aerial Photograph, A/P (CUAP ZF34) (Photographs). SNN112974.

<9> RCHME, Undated, RCHME Inventory: Northamptonshire I (North-East), 890466 (Archive). SNN113295.

Record last edited

Feb 4 2025 7:52PM