Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Location

Full description

A bowl barrow with the remains of a ditch, located in the northeast corner of the common (55m, 60 yards, from the north hedge and 9m, 10 feet, from the east). Diameter 12.8m (14 yards), height 1.1m (3 1/2 feet).
The barrow has been disturbed by rabbit burrows.
Flakes and one core were recovered from the mound.
A.Q. Watson, 1938.

The flints mentioned above are likely from the adjacent site, NHER 3018.
R. R. Clarke.

This barrow was destroyed by quarrying activity sometime before 7 January 1976.
A. J. Lawson (NAU).

The barrow was scheduled under number 266a, but was destroyed on 30 August 19568 and descheduled.
Ancient Monument details (S2) in file.
E. Rose (NAU), 4 March 1986.

The central grid reference of this site has been altered from TG 0762 1802 to TG 0763 1803.

October 2007. Norfolk NMP.
The site of an earthwork Bronze Age round barrow was located in the northeastern corner of Sparham Common (S3). The site is centred on TG 0763 1803, although the extent of this site includes the pre-NMP site location and the possible barrow location identified on the aerial photographs, at TG 0764 1803. The new central grid reference for this site takes in both locations. At least one other barrow has been identified on the ground within the common (NHER 3022). According to the Scheduling descriptions (see secondary file) NHER 3022 was 266a and 3021 was 266b. Other possible examples were tentatively identified on the aerial photographs (NHER 50645), although none of these additional examples were identified within any certainty, see record for details. The site is located on the valley floor to the north of the River Wensum.

This barrow is thought to have been destroyed by aggregate extraction by 1976, see above. However the positioning of the barrow at the edge of the extraction area could indicate that it has partially or fully survived, as it would appear that the barrow should be surviving on a small peninsula of unquarried land next to the pit, although this may be a mapping anomaly and a site visit would provide the more accurate data. Although the discrepancy between the previously identified location and the new NMP suggested location could have resulted in the site being assumed to have been destroyed when part of it may have survived. A site visit would be required to elucidate this issue. The possible location of this barrow on a peninsula of unquarried land fits exactly with the description of the location of NHER 3022 (266a) in 1958 on ’peninsula projecting from the working area’ (see secondary file). It is possible that the two barrow locations have become confused, although this is uncertain as the actual barrow descriptions (size, presence of a ditch) appear to fit with that recorded in 1938.

The barrow, as visible on the aerial photographs, is approximately 12m across, with an external ditch. The mound is located around 8m from the eastern boundary, fitting with the description of the monument in 1938.
S. Massey (NMP), 22 October 2007.

August 2008. Norfolk Aggregates Assessment Project.
Confirmation and the date of the site’s de-Scheduling is being sought from English Heritage.
S. Tremlett (NLA), 6 August 2008.

Monument Types

• FINDSPOT (Prehistoric - 1000000 BC to 42 AD)
• RING DITCH (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
• ROUND BARROW (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)

Associated Finds

• CORE (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
• FLAKE (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC to 42 AD)

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

Related records - none

Find out more...

• Parish Summary: Sparham (Parish Summary)