Record Details
| NHER Number: | 38448 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Name: | Cropmarks of Bronze Age barrow cemetery |
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Summary
A Bronze Age linear barrow cemetery comprising seven ring ditches is visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs. Although the ring ditches have not been dated, their form and location in an area of known early prehistoric ceremonial activity suggests strongly that they are the remains of Bronze Age round barrows.
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TG 2015 3546 |
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| Map Sheet: | TG23NW |
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| Parish: | HANWORTH, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK |
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Full description
October 2002, Norfolk NMP.
The cropmark of one ring ditch (probably that at TG 2021 3549) was formerly recorded as NHER 30853.
Seven ring ditches are visible as cropmarks on NLA oblique aerial photographs from 1992 (S1), centred around TG 2016 3547. Four of the ring ditches form a linear barrow cemetery 145m long and aligned approximately east to west, with a fifth ring ditch offset approximately 10m to its south (at TG 2013 3546). Two conjoined ring ditches 20m to the south appear to be outliers of this cemetery. Two ring ditches a greater distance to the north (NHER 38465 and 38466) might also be associated with the cemetery. It is notable that a number of the ring ditches in this area, including the cemetery described here, appear to have been incorporated into, or at least respected by, the ditches of an Iron Age to Roman settlement and field system which later occupied the site (NHER 38463). A number of ring ditches (such as that at TG 2023 3541) have been interpreted as round houses and recorded as part of the latter site, although it is possible that they are Bronze Age round barrows associated with the cemetery described here.
The largest ring ditch acts as the eastern end of the cemetery (at TG 2021 3549). This apparently elaborate barrow consists of four concentric ditches, of which two are visible for much of their circuit. It measures at least 24m in diameter, but the outer ditch (which is only partially visible) may have been around 35m in diameter. The innermost ditch would have measured less than 15m in diameter.
A second elaborate ring ditch lies to its west (at TG 2017 3548). This consists of a small inner ditch measuring 6m in diameter, surrounding a probable grave pit. The exterior ditch, which is flattened at its east and west ends, has a much larger diameter (15m east to west) and appears to have a second ditch along its east side.
The remaining ring ditches all have a single ditch with a diameter of around 10m. Two (at TG 2014 3547 and TG 2014 3547) have a central grave pit, one (at TG 2008 3547) appears to have two. The conjoined ring ditches to the south of the main group are perhaps comparable to NHER 12815 to their east. It is not clear whether the westernmost of the conjoined ring ditches partially destroyed an earlier barrow to its east, or whether the eastern ring ditch represents an addition to an existing monument (i.e. the western ring ditch), perhaps creating a double barrow or annexe.
While a number of the ring ditches can be identified confidently (e.g. the example with four concentric ditches at TG 2021 3549), the confusing nature of the underlying geology means that others have been identified with less certainty (e.g. the single ring ditch with two possible pits at TG 2008 3547). Others may remain unrecognised.
S. Tremlett (NMP), 28 January 2004
Monument Types
- PIT (Unknown date)
- RING DITCH (Unknown date)
- BARROW CEMETERY (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
- GRAVE (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
Sources and further reading
| <S1> | Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A.. 1992. NHER TG 2035AD-E (NLA 309/GLS11-3) 09-JUL-1992. |
Related records - none
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