| Summary : A cairn on Ramsley Moor, one of circa 80 identified on the ground. The majority appear to be clearance cairns, although some seem certainly to have been burial monuments. However, in practice it is difficult to distinguish between the two. Circa 10 mounds were opened by Samuel Mitchell in 1850 (it is not entirely clear which 10) with no reported finds, while 3 more have been opened more recently, with varying results. Cairn number 1 was excavated in 1964-5. The barrow had been disturbed previously, possibly by Mitchell. Prior to excavation, this was one of the larger mounds in the area, measuring circa 11 metres by 9 metres across. A stone kerb 7 metres in diameter and up to 45cm high surrounded the main core of the mound. On the eastern side, a small rectangular "annexe" to the kerb enclosed an area circa 3 metres by 1.8 metres. Small quantities of burnt bone were found among the lower stones of the cairn, near the centre. The annexe contained a secondary burial comprising an upright Biconical Urn on a flat stone, its mouth covered by another. It contained the cremated remains of a child and some charcoal. Traces of burning were found beneath the cairn, and a pit was found beneath the kerb on the north side. Its upper fill included some possible Collared Urn sherds. Other finds included a flint scraper, some potsherds (probably Bronze Age), 4 cup-marked stones incorporated in the cairn, a flat stone with an oval polished hollow (?axe sharpening), and some flakes of shale. |
More information : [SK 278 757] Sixty-seven cairns [numbered and plotted on 25" from map in 1] on Ramsley Moor adjoining Barbrook. They comprise:-
4 large mounds 30-35 ft. across.
13 medium-sized mounds 20 to 29 ft. across.
50 small mounds below 20 ft. across.
Many of the smaller mounds were thought to be natural but the excavation of one (No. 9) - [SK 2778 7577] in 1958 recovered a polished stone axe. Nos. 20, 23, 31 and 41 have been severely damaged and are probably four of the ten barrows opened by
Mitchell c. 1850 (a). (1)
Visible on A.P's (2)
Barrows 1 and 8 are now in course of excavation. Nothing was found in the excavation of No. 7. (3)
Scheduled (4)
A large area of stone clearance centred at SK 278757. There are many stone heaps and vestigial banks with one possible building
site. 15 probable burial cairns were identified (of which two are being excavated. Probable burial cairns has been annotated 'B' on the Antiquity Model, and the whole surveyed at 25". See GP AO/65/212/8. for cairn at SK 27917561 (5)
Excavation of barrow No.1 in 1964-65 exposed an encircling stone kerb with an annexe on the east side. A small quantity of burnt bone was found in the primary cairn and a secondary burial with a biconical urn was found in the annex. (6)
NB this record now deals solely with barrow (or cairn) 1. The other features in this group have now been recorded separately (see SK 27 NE 80 to 83).
A cairn on Ramsley Moor, one of circa 80 identified on the ground. The majority appear to be clearance cairns, although some seem certainly to have been burial monuments. However, in practice it is difficult to distinguish between the two. Circa 10 mounds were opened by Samuel Mitchell in 1850 (it is not entirely clear which 10) with no reported finds, while 3 more have been opened more recently, with varying results. Cairn number 1 was excavated in 1964-5. The barrow had been disturbed previously, possibly by Mitchell. Prior to excavation, this was one of the larger mounds in the area, measuring circa 11 metres by 9 metres across. A stone kerb 7 metres in diameter and up to 45cm high surrounded the main core of the mound. On the eastern side, a small rectangular "annexe" to the kerb enclosed an area circa 3 metres by 1.8 metres. Small quantities of burnt bone were found among the lower stones of the cairn, near the centre. The annexe contained a secondary burial comprising an upright Biconical Urn on a flat stone, its mouth covered by another. It contained the cremated remains of a child and some charcoal. Traces of burning were found beneath the cairn, and a pit was found beneath the kerb on the north side. Its upper fill included some possible Collared Urn sherds. Other finds included a flint scraper, some potsherds (probably Bronze Age), 4 cup-marked stones incorporated in the cairn, a flat stone with an oval polished hollow (?axe sharpening), and some flakes of shale. (1-7) |