Monument record 3115/0/1 - Probable Bronze Age Round Barrow

Site of up to 3 Bronze Age round barrows at Rushden in a meadow field in the Nene valley lying between the L & NW railway and the line from Wellingborough to Higham. A round barrow "sixty or 70ft in diameter" was excavated in 1906. It contained a cremation burial with two fragments of "plain reddish pottery". Flint flakes, scrapers etc were found in the make-up of the mound. The area has been destroyed by gravel workings.

{1} Excavation of a round barrow sitting in Meadow Field "between the L&NW Railway and the line from Wellingborough to Higham Ferrers". Within 100yds of the excavated barrow was another in the next field, a few yards from the hedge. Between the two was another slight swelling which may have been the remains of a third.

{2} Barrows, unlocated, but in the area of SP9368. One, "sixty or 70ft in diameter" was excavated in 1906. It contained a cremation burial with two fragments of "plain reddish pottery". Flint flakes, scrapers etc were found in the make-up of the mound. Two other earthworks, possibly barrows, lay nearby. The area has now been worked for gravel.

{3} "In the meadows of Rushden nearly opposite Higham Staunch are some eminences which are conjectures to be ancient British tumuli."

{4} A barrow at Rushden between 60 to 70 feet in diameter was excavated 16th-18th October 1906. An "extremely shallow" tumulus. Consisted of a mound of fine, imported sand. The barrow was 60-70ft in diameter. Calcined bones were found 2ft to the west of centre and 3ft 3ins from the surface. Nearby were one plain and one reddish pot fragment. Approximately two thirds of the mound was removed.

The site was in a meadow field in the Nene valley 'between the L & NW railway and the line from Wellingborough to Higham' (presumably in area SP 9368).

Within a hundred yards of the barrow was another, in the next field a few yards from the hedge and between the two was a slight swelling which may have been the remains of a third. The area largely destroyed by gravel workings. (Not located on available APs (RAF 1960).

{5} A trench 4 feet wide was dug from the south side of the barrow, which was 60-70 feet in diameter. The mound was made of fine sand which must have come from over half a mile away. Finds included several flints, flakes scattered in amongst the sand, and a well-marked flint knife found 18 inches below the surface.

<1> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP96NW12 (unchecked) (Index). SNN443.

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1975, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.85/Site 1 (checked) (Series). SNN77379.

<3> COLE J., 1838, The History and Antiquities of Higham Ferrers (With Notes on Rushden and Irthlingborough), p.3 (unchecked) (Book). SNN71019.

<4> GEORGE T.J., 1908, Opening of a Round Barrow at Rushden, 13-15 (unchecked) (Article). SNN48196.

<5> Enos Smith, J., 1906, Rushden barrow, (unchecked) (Note). SNN106762.

<6> Colquhoun, FD, 1970, Field Investigator's Comments, F1 FDC 2-SEP-70 (Notes). SNN111540.

Record last edited

Sep 6 2023 3:25PM