Monument record 5132/0/3 - Upton Bowl Barrow

Mound, possibly a Bronze Age barrow. Trial trench excavation could not confirm the dating of this feature. Scheduled.

{1} Earthwork contour plan 1989, possible prehistoric ritual monument.

{2} c25m diam x 1.5m high off centre shallow saucer shape depression, evidence of antiquarian digging.

{3} Mounds, E. of Upton Mill, on alluvium at 61 m. above OD. SP 72355910, a round mound about 1 m. high and approximately 25 m. in diameter with a central depression, possibly the result of early excavation, may be a round barrow, although no ditch is visible. Alternatively, the mound could be the remains of a post-mill or be natural.

{6} Three trenches were excavated across the presumed line of the barrow ditch, no trench was located. The mound is composed off friable and reddish loam which overlays the darker filling of an earlier ditch aligned towards the centre of the mound. A large iron shaped object was found at the base of the mound. The circular mound is approximately 27m in diameter and up to 0.6m higher than the surrounding field surface. There is a large depression in the centre of the mound. Composed of a friable, slightly reddish loam which in one area was found to overlie the darker filling of an earlier ditch aligned towards the centre of the mound. The excavation confirmed that there was no encircling barrow ditch. Bronze Age to 1st century AD pottery was found in the trenches.
The flat and bent iron bar is 350mm long and between 70 an 100mm wide and between 30 and 40mm thick. It has a short flat tang at one end measuring 35x10x40 mm long. The function of the object has not been identified.

{8} Contour plan, Fig.3

<1> FOARD G.R., 1977, ORAL REPORT TO SMR, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN51347.

<2> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1978, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1977, 13/180 (checked) (Journal). SNN2192.

<3> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.402/Site 2 (unchecked) (Series). SNN77383.

<4> SHAW M., 1992, SMR REPORT FORM, (unchecked) (Note). SNN49533.

<5> English Heritage, 1992, English Heritage Scheduling Notification, (part checked) (Report). SNN47128.

<6> JACKSON D., 1993, Archaeological Evaluation at Upton, Northampton, P. 73 (checked) (Report). SNN40477.

<6> JACKSON D., 1994, Archaeological Evaluation at Upton, Northampton, P. 73 (checked) (Article). SNN112178.

<7> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, Used with NMR & CUCAP collections (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<8> Shaw M., 1990, Archaeological Evaluation At Upton, Northampton (South West District), (checked) (Report). SNN102374.

<9> SHAW M., 1992, SMR Report Form, (checked) (SMR Report Form). SNN49530.

Record last edited

Feb 4 2025 7:29PM