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Summary

An exceptionally large bell barrow the mound survives to a maximum diameter of 30m and a height of c.3m.

Monument Type(s):

• FINDSPOT (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
• BELL BARROW (Bronze Age - 2500 BC to 701 BC)
• FINDSPOT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Description

Scheduled Monument (formerly 12057) list number 1013244. A large bell barrow 160m NW of Warren Lodge. The mound survives to a maximum diameter of 30m and a height of c.3m. It is surrounded by a well-defined berm and a ditch on all sides and an outer bank to the north and south. The berm has a maximum width of 8m while the ditch, from which mound material was quarried, survives to width of 8m and a depth of up to 1m. The outer bank stands to a height of 0.5m and has an average width of 5m. The causeway on the NE side of the site is probably of recent origin. The site was partially excavated in 1967 although no details are known. The mound and ditch together have a diameter of 72m <1> <6>.

In 1963 described as an exceptionally large bell barrow: diameter about c. 100ft: mound about 8ft high; berm 40ft wide and ditch about 20 ft wide and 3ft deep <2>.

In 1967 the mound was investigated by Mr T.S. Turner, Head of the History Department at Bulmershe College, along with students of the college. The surrounding ditch was found to be c. 3ft 9in deep and 11ft across, but was sterile. The mound itself was shown to be artificial and it had very clear stratification. A sherd of medieval pottery of probably 13th/14th century was recovered. But the mound has characteristics of a Bronze Age barrow <4>.

During an excavation in 1967 two L-shaped trenches were dug in the N.E and S.W quadrants of the site. The stratification observed suggested that the mound is largely of human construction. The mature tree coverage on the mound and the actions of burrowing animals made the excavation difficult. The following year Mr Turner supervised the digging of two trenches across the ditch. This did not produce any significant evidence. Mr Turner was uncertain of the probably use of the mound, but speculated that one explanation for its existence was as a gun platform <10>. A section drawing across Trench 1 is dated 20th-25th June 1969 and also records a single microlithic flint recovered from the layer of yellow sand <10>.

Mutilated by gravel extraction(?) in SW sector. Entrance causeway to NE is probably modern. Excavations produced little evidence for date or function. RCHM Index has ?motte, ?gun platform <5>.

<1> English Heritage, 1991, Bell Barrow 160m north-west of Warren Lodge (Scheduling record). SRM13205.

<2> Berkshire Archaeological Society, 1963-4, Berkshire Archaeological Journal, Page 20 (Journal). SWK12124.

<3> READING MUSEUM INDEX CARD (Bibliographic reference). SWK6814.

<4> Berkshire Field Research Group, 1967, Berks Field Research Group Bulletin, "Warren Lodge, Finchampstead - SU 792646" by T.S. Turner (Bibliographic reference). SWK6815.

<5> RCHM(E) EXCAVATIONS INDEX NMR NO OS/SU76SE09 (Bibliographic reference). SWK6816.

<6> Historic England, The National Heritage List for England, List entry: 1013244 (Index). SRD12029.

<7> Berkshire Archaeological Unit, 1985, Finchampstead EBAS June '85 SMR 1005 AM 156 (Graphic material). SRM14594.

<8> Berkshire Archaeological Unit, 1985, Contour Survey Finchampstead June 1985 SMR No.1005 A.M. No.156 (Graphic material). SRM14593.

<9> RCHME, 1990, Warren Lodge Barrow (Graphic material). SRM14595.

<10> Turner, T.S., 1976, Report on excavation of Mound at Warren Lodge, Wick Hill, Finchampstead (SU792646), May 29th-June 3rd 1967 by kind permission of the landowner, Miss I.C. Vaughan-Morgan (Unpublished document). SRM14596.

<11> Historic England, Historic England Research Record (formerly PastScape), Monument No. 244511; http://pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=244511 (Database). SRM13962.

Sources

Designations

• Scheduled Monument () 1013244: Bell Barrow 160m north-west of Warren Lodge

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