Monument record 1829 - Three Hills Neolithic/Bronze Age Funerary Site

Three barrows, possibly circular, but all damaged by probable ploughing

{1} Map shows the barrows.

{2} The largest is about 100 yards in circumference, the middle about 90 yards in circumference and the third about 80 yards. The largest has a hollow in the top.

{3} Earthwork of a Bronze Age barrow 20m diameter. There is plough damage to the east side. It stands 2m high but is altered by old pits dug into the top and west side. The earthworks of round barrows are on rising ground in a field and aligned NNW-SSE. Each barrow touches its neighbour at the base. There are no traces of surrounding ditches. The barrows stand in an unploughed strip within the field. Fieldname: Three Hills Field.

Barrow (SP 96109603) the northern of the Three Hills. It was probably once circular but has been cut by modern ploughing on the east and west and the north side has also been damaged. It is now 20 m across from north-south 17 m fromeast-west and 2 m high with a flat top 7m. Wide.

Barrow (SP 96107600) Diam 20 m, damaged by modern ploughing on east. Height 2 m but much altered by old pits which have been dug into its top and W side.

Barrow (SP 96107598) Diam 24 m, height 2 m but very mutilated by fox-holes and other pits. It is cut into by modern ploughing on the east.

{4} Three large hills in alignment have the appearance of tumuli.

{6} One of three Bronze Age round barrows which are contiguous and aligned NNW-SSE. The northernmost barrow is 20m diameter x 2m high and has a flat top 7m across. The central barrow is 20m diameter x 2m high.The southernmost barrow is 24m diameter x 2m high. All three barrows touch at their bases and there is the slight impression of a surrounding ditch 3m wide.

{9} BA material has been recorded from "Woodford" (SP97NE32) but such material cannot, with certainty, be associated with these tumuli which are probably BA in origin. Published survey 1:2500 revised.

[HER Note 03/06/2014: it has been suggested that the three aligned Bronze Age round barrows are in fact a much mutilated Neolithic long barrow, but this is unproven.]

<1> 1731, Map of Woodford Parish (NRO Map 2684), (unchecked) (Map). SNN36978.

<2> Cole J., 1830/1842, The History and Antiquities of Woodford, p.9 (unchecked) (Book). SNN48118.

<3> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1975, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p. 111/Sites 2-4 (Series). SNN77379.

<4> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p. 265 (Book). SNN77326.

<5> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP97NE11 (Index). SNN443.

<6> English Heritage, 1993, English Heritage Scheduling Notification, (part checked) (Report). SNN48078.

<7> Foard, G, 1990, Woodford Three Hills-SAM Northants 100 (Correspondence). SNN112435.

<8> Morton J., 1712, The Natural History of Northamptonshire (Book). SNN10113.

<9> Colquhoun, FD, 1970, Field Investigator's Comments, F1 FDC 7-OCT-70 (Notes). SNN111540.

<10> Historic England, General reference for Historic England Archive, Photograph: BB73/01293 From SE (Archive). SNN115142.

Record last edited

Feb 4 2025 8:14PM