More information : [TQ 53815662] Tumulus [NR] (Mesolithic flints found). (1)
[TQ 53905665] (2) Tumulus excavated by Lewis Abbott who found traces
of cremation and "thousands" of burnt flints, including pygmies,
which are in the British and Canterbury Museums. The tumulus was
80-90ft in diameter, 5.5ft high, and planted with firs. Lewis
Abbott [p. 143] mentions "two other barrows in the neighbourhood
not yet explored." (2-5)
The published feature is a flat-topped sub-circular mound measuring
some 33.0m in diameter E-W, 28.0m in diameter N-S and 1.5m in height
on a prominent E-W sandy ridge. It has no trace of a ditch. This
is presumably the mound excavated by Lewis Abbott but the other two
"in the neighbourhood" were not traced.
Points and microliths of Horsham type still occur in the sandy
surface of the mound and similar implements with cores and flakes
were found in recent years when trees were grubbed up to make
gardens for the council houses on the S. side of the site: these
latter are now in Sevenoaks Public Library and Museum.
Published 1/1250 survey correct. (6)
Ninety eight Mesolithic artefacts from Wilderness Barrow opened by
W J L Abbot are in the British Museum; Tunbridge Wells Museum holds
another 125 artefacts according to R M Jacobi. (7)
Additional bibliography. (8)
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