Historic England research records

Historic England Research Records

The Coldrum
Hob Uid: 413311
Location : Kent Tonbridge and Malling Trottiscliffe
Grid Ref : TQ6543060720
Summary : Remains of a Neolithic chambered tomb comprising the remnants of a sarsen chamber at the eastern end of an east-west orientated mound. The mound may have been kerbed with smaller sarsens. Some poorly recorded excavation occurred in 1856, some potsherds being found. More extensive examination of the chamber in 1910 recovered the bones of an estimated 22 individuals plus a sherd of pottery and a flint saw. Further bones were found in 1922. The monument has been in the care of the National Trust since 1926.
More information : [TQ 6543 6072] Burial Chamber [NR] (National Trust) (1) The Coldrum long barrow is the finest and most complete of the Medway megaliths. The rectangular mound, which is shorter than is usual in long barrows is placed E.-W., and there is a rectangular burial chamber at the eastern end. The four sides of the mound are bordered by a retaining wall of sarsens. The dimensions are approximately 90ft. by 60ft. (2)(3) Excavations in the burial chamber during the 19th century, in 1910 (4), and mainly in 1922 (5), produced human bones in quantity, representing about twenty-four individuals. Many of the bones were very fragmentary, but Sir Arthur Keith considered they may have all been related, if not of one family, and their ages ranged from newly born infants to old men and women. They were long headed and of short stature. A flint saw and some sherds were found during the 1910 excavations, and one of the sherds, now in Maidstone Museum, has been described by Piggott (6) as probably Windmill Hill "A". See AO/59/46/7 and 8. (2-7, 21) The remains of this barrow are as described by Grinsell. The site is now the property of the National Trust and well looked after: it has unfortunately been described as a "Stone Circle". A 25" survey has been carried out; see also GP's AO/59/187/3 - burial-chamber from N.W.; AO/59/187/4 - peristalith (S. side) from S.E.; 187/5 - peristalith (W. side) from S.W.; 187/6 - burial-chamber and "arena" from S.S.E. (8) No change. (9) Additional bibliography. (10-12) Chambered tomb 0.5 miles east of Trottiscliffe Church. The surviving monument is a stone chamber 13ft. by 5ft. composed of four enormous sandstone slabs standing at the E. end of a roughly rectangular mound 90ft. long revetted with boulders. The chamber contained 22 inhumations. (13) Coldrum Megalithic long barrow, c. 2000 B.C. now belongs to the National Trust. (14) Additional bibliography. (15-16) Paul Ashbee has in recent years published several articles discussing the Medway megaliths, including Coldrum, with a particular emphasis on historical records and early investigations, with detailed bibliographic sources. (17-20)

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Source Number : 1
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Source details : OS 6" 1936
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Source Number : 2
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Source details : Grinsell, LV. 1953. The Ancient Burial Mounds of England, p194
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Source Number : 10
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Source details : Gentlemans Magazine Library (Archaeology) 1, 1886, 113
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Source Number : 11
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Page(s) : 108-12
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Vol(s) : no.69

Source Number : 12
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Page(s) : 77
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Vol(s) : 64, 1981

Source Number : 13
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Page(s) : 575
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Source Number : 14
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Page(s) : 23-Apr
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Source Number : 15
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Source details : Warman, E. The Medway Megalithic Tombs.
Page(s) : 239-42
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Vol(s) : 126, 1969

Source Number : 16
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Source details : Holgate, R. The Medway Megaliths and Neolithic Kent.
Page(s) : 221-234
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Vol(s) : 97, 1981

Source Number : 17
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Source details : Ashbee, P. The Medway Megaliths in perspective.
Page(s) : 57-111
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Vol(s) : 111, 1993

Source Number : 18
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Source details : Ashbee, P. William Stukeley, The Kit's Coty House and his Coves: a note.
Page(s) : 17-24
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Vol(s) : 112, 1993

Source Number : 19
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Source details : Ashbee, P. The Medway Megaliths in a European Context.
Page(s) : 269-84
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Vol(s) : 119, 1999

Source Number : 3
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Source details : Evans, JH. Kentish Megalithic Types.
Page(s) : 63-81
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Vol(s) : 63, 1950

Source Number : 20
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Source details : Ashbee, P. The Medway's Megalithic Long Barrows.
Page(s) : 319-345
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Vol(s) : 120, 2000

Source Number : 21
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Source details : Keith, A. Report on the Human Remains found by FJ Bennett, Esq, FGS, in the Central Chamber of a Megalithic Monument at COldrum, Kent.
Page(s) : 86-100
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Vol(s) : 43, 1913

Source Number : 3a
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Source details : Beale Post MSS, Maidstone Museum
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Source Number : 4
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Source details : Bennett, FJ. Coldrum Monument and Exploration
Page(s) : 76-85
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Vol(s) : 43, 1913

Source Number : 5
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Source details : Filkins, EW. Excavations at Coldrum
Page(s) : 356-7
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Vol(s) : 8, 1928

Source Number : 6
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Page(s) : 138
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Vol(s) : 88, 1932

Source Number : 7
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Page(s) : 142, 233
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Source Number : 8
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Source details : F1 AC 28-JUL-59
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Source Number : 9
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Source details : F2 FGA 15-OCT-64
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Monument Types:

Monument Period Name : Neolithic
Display Date : Neolithic
Monument End Date : -2200
Monument Start Date : -4000
Monument Type : Chambered Tomb, Inhumation, Long Barrow
Evidence : Earthwork, Sub Surface Deposit

Components and Objects:

Period : Neolithic
Component Monument Type : Chambered Tomb, Inhumation, Long Barrow
Object Type : VESSEL, SAW
Object Material : Pottery

Related Records from other datasets:

External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (County No.)
External Cross Reference Number : KE 10
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : TQ 66 SE 2
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Related Warden Records :

Related Activities :

Associated Activities :
Activity type : EXCAVATION
Start Date : 1856-01-01
End Date : 1856-12-31

Associated Activities :
Activity type : EXCAVATION
Start Date : 1910-01-01
End Date : 1928-12-31

Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1959-07-28
End Date : 1959-07-28

Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1964-10-15
End Date : 1964-10-15

Historic England Research Records

The Coldrum