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Summary

Hoe Hills barrow cemetery, visible as cropmarks and low earthworks, north of Dowsby.

Full description

Hoe Hills barrow cemetery is one of the biggest concentrations of Iron Age burials surrounded by square ditches in Lincolnshire. There are a number of barrows at this location, both square (presumably Iron Age), and circular (presumably Bronze Age). {1}{2}

Some of the barrows appear on the 1880s 1st ed. 6" Ordnance Survey County Series map. {3}

Individual barrows have been noted at the following grid references:
TF 1167 3041, TF 1154 3044, TF 1158 3045, TF 1160 3044, TF 1164 3043, TF 1167 3042, TF 1158 3039, TF 1173 3037, and TF 1150 3045
The majority of these have been ploughed out, and survive only as cropmarks visible on aerial photographs. {4}{5}{6}{7}

One of the barrows, located at TF 1173 3037, was excavated in 1994 as part of the Fenland Management Project. The excavation revealed that the barrow ditch measured 27m in diameter. Finds included a collared urn containing a cremation, burnt charcoal and possible hearth material, traces of a secondary cremation, pottery sherds, bone fragments, and an intact perforated incense cup. {8}{9}

<1> PICKERING, J., 1995, CURRENT ARCHAEOLOGY, Vol. 145, p.22 (Article in Serial). SLI626.

<2> WHIMSTER, Rowan, 1981, BURIAL PRACTICES IN IRON AGE BRITAIN, p.342 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI861.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1883-1888, 6 Inch County Series Map - First Edition, TF 13 SW (Map). SLI9454.

<4> Lincolnshire County Council, Sites and Monuments Record Card Index, TF 13 SW: O, AI (Index). SLI2881.

<5> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Card Index, TF 13 SW: 9, 16 (Index). SLI2344.

<6> Aerial Photograph, TF1130/10-11,24, BZL16, VK77, A18 (Aerial Photograph). SLI89.

<7> OS, 1956, OS 6 INCH SERIES, - (Map). SLI3659.

<8> Crowson, A.; Lane, T. and Reeve. J. (eds), 2000, Fenland Management Project Excavations 1991-1995, DOW 8, pp.99-107 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI7859.

<9> Allen, C. and Hopkins, D., 2000, ‘Bronze Age accessory cups from Lincolnshire. Early Bronze Age pot?’ in Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society, Vol.66, pp.297-317 (Article in Serial). SLI8653.

Monument Types

• ARTEFACT SCATTER (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 801 BC)
• BARROW CEMETERY (Early Bronze Age to Late Iron Age - 2200 BC to 42 AD?)
• CREMATION (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 801 BC)
• RING DITCH (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 801 BC)
• ROUND BARROW (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 801 BC)
• SQUARE BARROW? (Iron Age - 800 BC? to 42 AD?)

Associated Finds

• SHERD (Late Neolithic to Early Iron Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
• CINERARY URN (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 801 BC)
• HUMAN REMAINS (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 801 BC)
• PYGMY CUP (Early Bronze Age - 2200 BC? to 1501 BC?)

Associated Events

• Fenland Survey Field Walking
• Fenland Management Project resistivity survey, Hoe Hills
• Fenland Management Project magnetic susceptibility survey, Hoe Hills
• Fenland Management Project archaeological excavation, Hoe Hills
• Magnetometry Survey, Hoe Hills

Protected Status

• SHINE

Sources and further reading

Related records

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