| Summary : Bronze Age round cairn or barrow surviving as a mound 18m in diameter and 1.4m high. Excavated by Atkinson, who found a primary cremation burial. The Bronze Age round barrow was also mapped as part of the North York Moors National Park NMP project, visible as an earthwork on air photographs. The centre has been badly mutilated, which is probably the result of the aforementioned excavation. The barrow is one of several in the vicinity known as the Robin Hood's Butts (UID 29120, 29138, 29135). The barrow has a maximum diameter measuring 24m and is extant on the latest 2009 vertical photography. Scheduled. |
More information : [NZ 70581156] Robin Hood Butts [NAT] Tumulus [NR]
(1)
A bowl barrow (one of the Robin Hood Butts on Danby Low Moor,
according to Elgee) was excavated in 1863 by Atkinson who located it
simply by saying that "lying about a quarter of a mile southeast" of
it was another barrow close to a circular bank (NZ 71 SW 3 barrow
and enclosed cremation cemetery). The mound was 52 1/2 feet in
diameter and seven feet in height, composed of sand and gravel with
occasional thin layers of ashes and other burnt material. Liberally
interspersed throughout the mound were flint flakes, arrowheads and
small chipped blocks of flint, besides three circular, polished,
cutting tools. These flints were especially prolific about 6 inches
below the surface of the barrow. On the natural ground level at the
centre of the mound and a little to the southwest of a large erect
stone, 2 1/2 feet in height and two feet square, were the calcined
bones of a man protected above by a thin flagstone and surrounded by
a ring of ashes, sand and charcoal about feet in diameter. Among the
bones was a minute fragment of bronze.
(2)(3)
A heather-covered round barrow, 18.0m diameter and 1.4m high,
slightly disturbed at the centre. Published survey (25") correct.
(4)
0331 Robin Hood's Butt, Skelton NZ 7059 1156.
The mound is the westernmost of a prominent group of burial mounds
known locally as Robin Hood's Butts, and the only one to fall within
Cleveland's boundaries.
It is situated on a moorland ridge at 255m O.D., and is an earthen
mound 17.6m in diameter and 1.3m high. The centre has been badly
mutilated; this led Atkinson to describe it as a 'basin Howe', or
pond barrow, but it is probable that this is only the result of
previous excavations. Atkinson states that the mound was built
round an earthfast rock, with layers of stone, sand and gravel
placed over it. An unaccompanied cremation was found in one layer
surrounded by a 'ring of ashes and charcoal', with 'a very minute
trace of metal . . . among the bones'. This may well have been iron
pan or another feature of a leached soil. The mound produced large
quantities of flint implements. The site is a scheduled ancient
monument.
(5)
NZ 705 115. Robin Hood Butts round cairn. Scheduled No CL/7.
(6)
The Bronze Age round barrow was also mapped as part of the North York Moors National Park NMP project, visible as an earthwork on air photographs and centred at NZ 7058 1156. The centre has been badly mutilated, which is probably the result of the excavation mentioned by authorities 2 and 3, above. The barrow is one of several in the vicinity known as the Robin Hood's Butts (UID 29120, 29138, 29135). The barrow has a maximum diameter measuring 24m and is extant on the latest 2009 vertical photography.
(8) |