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Summary

Part of a Scheduled Monument, a circular platform barrow surrounded by a ditch - the largest of the group

Associated Legal Designations or Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1009458: TWO PLATFORM BARROWS AND A BOWL BARROW 440M SOUTH OF GREENWAY COTTAGES

Other Statuses and Cross-References

• Berkshire SMR No. (pre 2000): 01312.02.000
  

Monument Type(s):

• PLATFORM BARROW (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)

Full Description

PART OF SM 19029. EXCAV. RECORDED DEEP CIRCULAR DITCH, SPOIL THROWN UP TO FORM RINGS OF RUBBLE INSIDE. CONTAINED AN EMPTY PIT NEAR CENTRE AND UNDATED SECONDARY CREMATION. OTHERWISE AS .01. OS FIELD VISIT 1964- HOLLOW CENTRE, DITCH TRACEABLE ON NE SIDE ONLY.
This central barrow was Barrow II in the 1933 excavations, and the following description is taken from the report by Peake and Padel <1>. It was larger than Barrow I, but of the same type (a platform barrow) and better preserved. An east-west trench was dug across the middle (line 9), reaching the bottom of the ditch on the east side, but not excavating the ditch on the west due to the presence of a footpath. The ditch was nearly 8 feet deep and about 7 feet wide at the top.
On the top of the barrow, a large circular pit was discovered and excavated, 5' 6" deep and 3' in diameter at the base; it had been infilled with chalk rubble and clay, but contained no finds except for one fragment of bone. To the west of the pit on the original ground surface was a fragment of pottery, interpreted by Hawkes as Early Iron Age rather than Bronze Age. The central area of the platform had silted up, but no other features were found.
The ring of chalk rubble was higher than that found on Barrow I. In the eastern section, cremated remains of a young or middle aged probable male were found with some small fragments of burnt animal bone; these had been inserted into a cut in the ring which had then been filled up again with more fine chalk. Other finds from beneath the turf in this area included iron fragments, animal bone and a fragment of Romano-British mortarium. An iron greave (or armguard ) was also found. The western section of the ring was similar, although finds here included a narrow iron spearhead bent "it would appear intentionally, into a form somewhat resembling a shepherd's crook", and a small tubular object of bronze, possible part of a dagger handle.
The ditch was sectioned in three other places, with finds of many different animal bones (horse, ox, sheep, pig, red deer, badger, fox, bird), fragments of pottery (Early Iron Age and Romano-British), a piece of burnt clay with impressions of wattle work, and a lump of iron stone as well as a number of pieces of oolitic rock. Artefacts included a small iron spear head with its point turned down, an iron frame of a knife or dagger sheath of Late La Tene type, and another fragment of a tubular bronze object, almost identical to that found in the ring, but of a different size.

Sources and further reading

Related Monuments

Associated Excavations and Fieldwork

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