Historic England research records

Historic England Research Records

Kemp Howe
Hob Uid: 64657
Location : East Riding of Yorkshire Cottam
Grid Ref : SE9616066280
Summary : A Neolithic long barrow with a Bronze Age oval barrow at its eastern end. Twelve Anglo-Saxon inhumations in the ditch of the oval barrow. A possible Medieval beacon in the forecourt of the long barrow. Now nearly ploughed flat. Calibrated radiocarbon dates centring on 725 and 745 AD, and one uncalibrated date centring on 570 were obtained from the Saxon inhumations.
More information : (SE 96166628) Kemp Howe (Tumulus) (NR) (1) Kemp Howe round barrow was partly excavated by Mortimer in 1878 who recorded an oval barrow ditch system, a subterranean dwelling associated with Windmill Hill pot-sherds and a series of AS burials. Excavation by Brewster in advance of road works exposed a long barrow with a SE-NW axis straddled at the eastern end by an oval BA ditch. The 'dwelling' proved to be the facade bedding trench of a long barrow, from the terminals of which a double line of postholes ran in a SE direction. In the packing holes of these was a saddle quern and Windmill Hill derived pottery. The long barrow ditches were c 20ft across and 7ft deep and were set back from the facade trench. Twelve Christian AS burials were found cut into the side of the round barrow ditch, and in the forecourt of the Long Barrow was a stone lined pit with 13th-14th century pottery in the bonding. RCHM (York) suggest this may have been a beacon site, quoting Knox's map, on which the barrow is shown as one of a pair described as Beacon Howes. (2-3) Visible as a slight rise of indeterminate size in a ploughed field. Published survey (25") Revised. (4) Additional reference. (5) Kemp Howe does not have direct evidence of the long barrow crematorium process but shows other features derived from long barrows. (6)

Sources :

Source Number : 1
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Source details : OS 6" 1929
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Source Number : 2
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Source details : Mow Ann Rpt 1968 13 30 (T C M Brewster)
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Source Number : 2a
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Page(s) : 336-8
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Source Number : 3
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Source details : RCHM (York) 1970
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Source Number : 3b
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Source details : Knox R 1821 The Country round Scarborough
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Source Number : 4
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Source details : F1 ISS 04-MAR-75
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Source Number : 5
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Source details : J Royal Anthrop Inst 9 1880 394
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Source Number : 6
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Source details : TG Manby
Page(s) : 196
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Vol(s) : 29, 1963

Source Number : 7
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Page(s) : 292
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Source Number : 8
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Page(s) : 158
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Vol(s) : 261

Monument Types:

Monument Period Name : Neolithic
Display Date : Neolithic
Monument End Date : -2200
Monument Start Date : -4000
Monument Type : Long Barrow
Evidence : Earthwork

Monument Period Name : Bronze Age
Display Date : Bronze Age
Monument End Date : -700
Monument Start Date : -2600
Monument Type : Oval Barrow
Evidence : Earthwork

Monument Period Name : Early Medieval
Display Date : Mid C6-mid C8
Monument End Date : 750
Monument Start Date : 550
Monument Type : Inhumation Cemetery, Coffin
Evidence : Sub Surface Deposit

Monument Period Name : Medieval
Display Date : Medieval
Monument End Date : 1540
Monument Start Date : 1066
Monument Type : Beacon
Evidence :

Components and Objects:

Period : Medieval
Component Monument Type : Beacon
Object Type : VESSEL
Object Material : Pottery

Related Records from other datasets:

External Cross Reference Source : SMR Number (Humberside)
External Cross Reference Number : 3461
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : SE 96 NE 15
External Cross Reference Notes :

Related Warden Records :

Related Activities :

Associated Activities :
Activity type : EXCAVATION
Start Date : 1878-01-01
End Date : 1878-12-31

Associated Activities :
Activity type : EXCAVATION
Start Date : 1967-01-01
End Date : 1968-12-31

Associated Activities :
Activity type : GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY
Start Date : 1972-01-01
End Date : 1972-12-31

Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1975-03-04
End Date : 1975-03-04

Associated Activities :
Activity type : GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY
Start Date : 1988-01-01
End Date : 1988-12-31

Historic England Research Records

Kemp Howe