Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Location

Full description

October 2006. Site visit at request of owner.
A low mound surrounded by a shallow ditch, centred on TG 21959 00402 (GPS derived). Located within a low lying meadow, east of a drain and west of A140.
The mound has a diameter of about 10m and is about 0.75m tall. The ditch is between 1.5 and 2m wide; it is occupied by taller vegetation than in the surrounding areas and, as a result, its depth is difficult to gauge.
The mound and ditch appear to be the remains of a small barrow. The low lying location would perhaps be unusual for a prehistoric barrow. This, and the fact the feature is located close to the A140 (a Roman road), suggest that it may be a Roman barrow.
D. Robertson (NLA), 9 October 2006.

The central grid reference for this site has been altered from TG 21959 00402 to TG 2196 0039.

March 2009. Norfolk NMP.
The earthworks of this circular mound, possibly relating to the remains of a small round barrow dating to the Bronze Age, Roman or Saxon periods are visible on aerial photographs (S1-S2). The site is centred on TG 2196 0039. The earthworks and cropmarks of possibly comparable monuments have been identified within the vicinity on aerial photographs (NHER 51992-4). The aerial photographs would suggest that the mound is approximately 8.5-9m across and surrounded by a narrow ditch as indicated by the field visit.
The previously interpretations discounted the Bronze Age date due to the landscape setting of the monument. However the recognition of Bronze Age round barrows within low-lying and river valley settings is becoming increasingly common. The mound would be at the lower end for size range for Early to Middle Bronze Age barrows. While the positioning alongside the Roman road (NHER 7947), 20m to the east, could indicate a contemporary date for the monument, this is by no means conclusive. While it is possible that the positioning alongside the Roman road could indicate a contemporary date for the monument, this is by no means conclusive. The small size and shape of the mound does not easily fit into the characteristics of Roman barrows, which are generally held to large, high, steep-sided mounds (S3), although presumably there may have been some variation in form. The fact that both barrows are positioned 20-25m from the road does appear to indicate a relationship, potentially suggesting a Roman or later date.
An alternative interpretation could be that the mound relates to a Saxon barrow. Barrows ranging in size from 3m to around 9m are known to have covered Early (or early Middle) Saxon inhumations and these are often surrounded by a penannular ring ditch (S4-S5). Ring ditches 8m in diameter were excavated surrounding graves at Spong Hill (NHER 1012). At least one other example of Anglo Saxon barrows being positioned alongside Roman roads have been recorded within Norfolk, such as at Sporle with Palgrave (see NHER 4598). Analysis of the relationship of the location of graves and cemeteries in other counties, in particular Wiltshire, has suggested that Roman roads played a significant role in the positing of these monuments (S5). Finds of an early Saxon date have been found within the general vicinity of the site and the assemblages recovered in the area could suggest at least one Middle to Late Saxon settlement nearby (NHER 9721, 9724). Although there is much uncertainty with regards to the date and function of these mounds, the interpretation of a Saxon round barrow does seem quite persuasive, given the archaeological context for the monument.
It must be noted that an alternative interpretation has been suggested for a comparable mound to the south (NHER 51994). The presence of a sunken area in the top of the mound could suggest that the mound formed the platform for a structure of some sort, potentially medieval to post medieval in date. The location of this mound alongside a drainage ditch could feasibly indicate that this mound may relate to drainage pump or similar structure, although the relatively round and domed profile would appear to be more consistent with a barrow than a building platform.
S. Horlock (NMP), 11 March 2009.

Monument Types

• ROUND BARROW? (Unknown date)
• ROUND BARROW? (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
• ROUND BARROW? (Roman to Late Saxon - 43 AD to 1065 AD?)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

Related records - none

Find out more...

• Parish Summary: Swainsthorpe (Parish Summary)