NHER 6740 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Site of Nares Hill round barrow

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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 the north-westernmost element of a dispersed linear barrow cemetery (NHER 38632). This barrow may be the same as one excavated by G.J. Chester in 1849 from which a small quantity of ashes and charcoal was recovered. On 1946 aerial photographs it appears to have been encroached upon by ploughing and may have been levelled soon after this date. A dark cropmark is visible in this area on later aerial photographs.

Protected Status/Designation

Location

Map sheet TG23NW
Civil Parish ROUGHTON, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Map

Nares Hill on (S1).
Tumulus south of main road not visited by R.R. Clarke (NCM).
Ploughed 1939/45.
No sign in ploughed field.
A.J. Lawson (NAU), 2 February 1976.

For sources and possible contents see NHER 6737.

Is this the 'small tumulus near Norwich - Cromer road' excavated by G. Chester in 1849? It is the nearest to the road. He found a 'few ashes and bits of charcoal'.
See (S2), copy in file and card for NHER 6737.
E. Rose (NLA), 9 January 1985.

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.
The Bronze Age round barrow described above, which is depicted on historic maps (S1 and S3), is also visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs from 1946 (S4), centred at TG 2238 3775. It lies at the north-west end 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.

The barrow appears rather slight and misshapen on the 1946 aerial photographs (S4), and may have been encroached upon by ploughing by this date (or this may be the result of Chester's excavations, S2). It is visible as a slightly sub-circular mound measuring up to 11m in diameter, surrounded by a slightly sub-circular ring ditch which measures up to 13m in diameter. It appears to have been levelled prior to 1963, when a dark, circular cropmark is visible at this location on aerial photographs (S5).
S. Tremlett (NMP), 21 May 2004.

  • --- Designation: [unknown]. Ancient Monuments Form. SAM Record. DNF24.
  • --- Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Bronze Age. Roughton [3].
  • --- Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
  • --- Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TG 23 NW 6.
  • --- Secondary File: Secondary File.
  • <S1> Map: Ordnance Survey. 1838. Ordnance Survey first edition 1 inch map. Sheet 38. Cromer. 1inch: 1 mile.
  • <S2> Article in Serial: 1850. Proceedings at the Meetings of the Archaeological Institute. The Archaeological Journal. Vol VII pp 172-198. pp 190-191.
  • <S3> Map: Ordnance Survey. 1902-7. Ordnance Survey second edition 25" (1902-7) Sheet XIX. 3.
  • <S4> Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. RAF 106G/UK/1606 2144-5 27-JUN-1946 (NMR).
  • <S5> Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1963. RAF 58/5842 (F21) 0005-7 23-JUL-1963 (NMR).

Object Types (0)

Record last edited

Jan 16 2025 5:23PM

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