Summary : A levelled round barrow at Barnack excavated in 1974 and 1976 in advance of destruction by gravel extraction. Prior to excavation, the site was visible on air photographs as a double ring ditch among a complex of cropmark features (see TF 00 NE 28 and 36). Excavation revealed a narrow inner ditch 11.5 metres in diameter, a more substantial middle ditch circa 24 metres in diameter and an outer ditch circa 50 metres in diameter. Outside the outer ditch were three quarry pits, two of them contiguous with the ditch. The mound only survived to a maximum height of 20 centimetres, and this was only where it had been protected by a later lynchet. A pair of concentric stake circles were found outside the inner ditch and partially overlapping the infilled middle ditch. The primary 'Barnack Man' Beaker burial was at the centre point of the stake circles rather than that of the inner ditch. 'Barnack Man' is thought to have been an important local chieftain. The remains of 23 individuals were found, 19 of them within the 16 grave pits. All the graves were within the area defined by the stake circles, most of them clustered towards the centre, but some were over the inner ditch. The primary burial comprised a flexed adult inhumation. At its feet was a beaker with yellowish soil spilling out from it over the skeleton's feet. A tanged copper dagger was at the left elbow, and nearby was a bone or ivory toggle and a stone wristguard. The latter had 9 perforations at each end, all fitted with a gold cap. A quantity of charcoal from a large burnt wooden object was also present. Few of the other burials had grave goods, but those that did included a beaker, a food vessel, a bone pin and some flints. A series of radiocarbon dates from several burials cluster in the early Bronze Age. A small excavation to the south of the barrow examined some small features associated with Iron Age, Roman and Saxon potsherds. The finds from the barrow are in the British Museum. Destroyed Monument. |
More information : TF 05100696. Early Anglo-Saxon settlement site found by Mr. Garry Trill of Stamford who located several features producing 5-6th century pottery during gravel quarrying. Further rescue work located one pit and three post-holes. The post-holes were varied in shape and size and were too few to provide information as to their purpose. The pit was oval and measured 1.15m. by 65cm. and was 13 cm. deep. It showed evidence of a fire having been lit at the bottom which had been covered over with stones and soil. It produced two Anglo-Saxon sherds, one Roman colour-coated sherd and a small quantity of animal bones. Full-time rescue excavation was taking place in January 1975 on a multiple ring-ditch and henge on the site. The ring-ditch was excavated between 1974 and 1976. It formed part of a complex series of cropmarks (see TF 00 NE 28). and proved to be a multiple round barrow containing at least 23 burials. These comprised at least 22 inhumations and one cremation interred over a time span of the order of 350 years. The barrow had three ditches and a double circle of stakes and was of three phases. Phase 1 was a bowl barrow with a buried inner ditch and a Beaker primary burial. An exceptionally fine group of grave goods indicates that this could have been the grave of an important local chieftain. These included a fine beaker, dagger, ivory pendant and a wristguard of fine-grained green schist with sheet-gold caps, which is probably unique in Europe. The second phase was a ditchless refurbishing with a stake revetted mound for a cremation. The third phase was a bell barrow with an outer bank for an unaccompanied inhumation. See illustrations. Radio-carbon analysis of the burials gave mean dates from 1850 to 1500 BC. (1-2)
The 'multiple round barrow' refered to by authorities 1-2 has been mapped from good quality air photographs and forms part of a large barrow cemetery (see TF 00 NE 28). The barrow was visible as 3 concentric circular ditched enclosures with an inner diameter of 10m and an outer diameter of 35m. The outermost ditch was partially obscured by a field boundary. (Morph No.775.1.22)
The 'henge' monument refered to by authority 1 also appears to be associated with the large barrow cemetery (TF 00 NE 28), and it is described in more detail in TF 00 NE 36.
No evidence of the Anglo Saxon settlement refered to by authority 1 was visible on the available air photographs.
This description is based on data from the RCHME MORPH2 database. (3) The barrow has been fully destroyed by quarrying. No remains survive therefore the site is not recommended for scheduling. (5) |