Record Details

NHER Number:6741
Type of record:Monument
Name:Hares' Hill

Summary

A Bronze Age round barrow is depicted on historic maps and is also visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs. It is one of several Bronze Age barrows or ring ditches identified on Roughton Heath and forms part of a dispersed linear barrow cemetery (NHER 38632). The barrow appears to have been excavated at some point prior to 1905 (NMR TG 23 NW 7). It is possible that this, rather than Nares Hill (NHER 6740) to its north-west, is the tumulus investigated by G.J. Chester in 1849, although it is larger and lies farther from the Norwich to Cromer road. It is visible as a cropmark on aerial photographs from 1963 and appears to have been levelled prior to this date.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TG 2255 3763
Map Sheet:TG23NW
Parish:ROUGHTON, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

Tumulus.
Marked on (S1). Southeast of NHER 6740.
10.9m (36ft) diameter, gutted, (J.E. Sainty).
No sign in ploughed field.
For sources and possible contents see NHER 6737.
A.J. Lawson (NAU), 2 February 1976.

February 2001. NLA visit.
No sign of barrow in pig farm.
See report and letters in file.
D. Gurney (NLA), 23 February 2001.

May 2004, Norfolk NMP.
NMP mapping has led to the alteration of the central grid reference of the site from TG 2253 3763 to TG 2255 3763.

The Bronze Age round barrow described above, which is depicted on historic maps (S1-2), is also visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs from 1946 (S3). It forms part of a postulated dispersed linear barrow cemetery (NHER 38632), and is one of a number of Bronze Age barrows identified on this area of former heathland. Ordnance Survey records indicate that it was excavated prior to 1905 (NMR TG 23 NW 7). G.J. Chester investigated 'a small tumulus near the Cromer and Norwich road', from which a small quantity of ashes and charcoal was recovered (S4). This is usually thought to refer to Nares Hill, 200m to the north-west, which is smaller and lies closer to the road, but there seems little reason to rule out Hares' Hill as an alternative location.

The barrow appears as a relatively high, circular earthwork mound measuring c. 13.5m in diameter on aerial photographs from 1946 (S3). A roughly circular depression, approximately 4m wide, is visible in the top of the mound, presumably the evidence of antiquarian investigation noted by the Ordnance Survey. An earthwork ditch may also just be visible on these photographs, but is more clearly visible as a cropmark on later aerial photographs (S5) where it can be seen as a continuous, slightly sub-circular ring ditch measuring 2.5m wide and 20m in diameter. An internal pit visible as a cropmark on the same photographs may represent a burial, but lies more or less below the depression described above and could equally be the base of an antiquarian excavation. The barrow appears to have been levelled prior to 1963 when it appears as a dark circular cropmark on aerial photographs (S6).
S. Tremlett (NMP), 21 May 2004.

Monument Types

  • MOUND (Unknown date)
  • PIT (Unknown date)
  • RING DITCH (Unknown date)
  • BURIAL (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • MOUND (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • PIT (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • RING DITCH (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • ROUND BARROW (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

  • Scheduled Monument
  • SHINE

Sources and further reading

---Designation: [unknown]. Ancient Monuments Form. SAM Record. DNF24.
---Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TG 23 NW 7.
---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Bronze Age. Roughton [3].
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1>Map: Ordnance Survey. 1838. Ordnance Survey first edition 1 inch map. Sheet 38. Cromer. 1inch: 1 mile.
<S2>Map: Ordnance Survey. 1902-7. Ordnance Survey second edition 25" (1902-7) Sheet XIX. 3.
<S3>Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. RAF 106G/UK/1606 2144-5 27-JUN-1946 (NMR).
<S4>Article in Serial: 1850. Proceedings at the Meetings of the Archaeological Institute. The Archaeological Journal. Vol VII pp 172-198. pp 190-191.
<S5>Vertical Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1969. OS/69038 040-1 04-APR-1969 (NMR).
<S6>Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1963. RAF 58/5842 (F21) 0005-7 23-JUL-1963 (NMR).

Related records

38632Part of: Cropmarks and earthworks of Bronze Age barrow cemetery (Monument)

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