More information : (Area SD 879430) A Bronze Age burial circle was excavated in 1950 by the Burnley Historical Society. The site consists of a flat circular area 42ft in diameter enclosed by 18 irregularly spaced, large boulders. Inside the circle and at an average depth of 10ins below the turf, the Bronze Age surface was found to be covered with a rough pavement of stones. A large area of charcoal measuring roughly 6ft by 3ft was found 6 or 7ft north east of the centre; there was no evidence that it represented the hearth of any structure.
The primary burial "A" was marked by a large flat stone surrounded by 8 or 9 stones in a circle. Lying at the bottom of the cist and covered by charcoal, was an inverted MBA urn with a twisted cord pattern containing a cremation. Secondary burials consisted of "B" A light brown Collared Urn, containing a cremation was found inverted at the bottom of the cist, 10ins deep without cover stone. "C" Urn fragments, possibly of the Food Vessel type, together with a cremation in a cist 8ins deep, without a cover stone. "D" Cist with cover stone, contained an unurned burial, probably in a bag, immediately below the Bronze Age surface. Three small fragments of flint were among the cremation.
A location plan with photographs, and the finds, have been deposited in Towneley Hall. The best finds included; 3 polished hand hammers, 2 polished grain rubbing stones, 8 flint thumb scrapers, 5 flint arrow heads and 5 flint knives. Nothing of metal or fashioned bone was discovered. (1)
Additional reference. (2)
Although included by Burl in his gazetteer of stone circles (3), the monument is clearly no such thing. Barnatt interprets it as a low platform cairn surrounded by a virtually contiguous kerb of small boulders. (4) |