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Summary

A tumulus or burial mound is said to have been located close to Wightwick Mill. As usual the burial mound is identified as probably related to the Battle of Tettenhall/Wednesfield (910). It may have been of prehistoric date but trenching suggests that it was more recent..

Monument Type(s):

• BARROW? (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
• BARROW? (Saxon - 410 AD to 1065 AD)
• WINDMILL MOUND? (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)

Description

J.P.Jones states that 'Close to Wightwick Mill is a tumulus or burial mound...and on the opposite side of the road are some remains of a fort or fortification' As with many of the possible burial mounds around Wolverhampton the barrow has been associated with the burial of the dead from the Battle of Tettenhall/Wednesfield (910) though burial mounds are more normally prehistoric. (1)

A section was cut across mound in 1955 at the request of Tettenhall Council as they were proposing to bulldoze it. It was suggested that the mound could not have been prehistoric as fragmentary brick & coal was found on old turf line below mound debris. The centre had been robbed out in 1920's by boys from Wolverhampton Grammar School, working under an unknown master. No sherds or artefacts were found. A posthole on the perimeter of the mound is only evidence of timber structure but it was surrounded by a ditch at least 15' deep and probably around 30' wide. Suggested that the total lack of artefacts seems to indicate either structure was never finished or occupation was temporary. The excavators concluded that it was either a hastily erected motte to control the valley, or possibly a mound for a mill. (2)

On the summit of this prominent, natural hill are traces of mound, 12m average diameter, 0.7m high. The ditch is visible only as a slight scarping of the slope. The base of the hill has been further scarped by ploughing. The excavation trench had been left open; it was c1m wide, 9m long and had been driven from the SW to the centre of the mound where it had been enlarged into a square pit. A red sandy soil containing small pebbles similar to natural subsoil with traces of old turf-lines and lenticulation is visible in the sides of the trench. Darker soil at the edge of the mound indicates the foremr ditch. (3) (4) J.P. Jones mentions a mound on fields just acrpss the Bridgnorth Rd from Wightwick Mill & says that these fields stretching up to Grove Lane were known as Low Hill fields. (5) (6) (7) Evidence is ambiguous. There may have been one or more mounds and/or earthworks; one of which may be recent. (8) SW reports that mound still exists in this area. Site visit needed. (9)

<1> Jones, J P, 1894, The History of the Parish of Tettenhall, 7, 10 (Bibliographic reference). SBL5124.

<2> Oswald A, 1958, Untitled Source (Unpublished document). SBL3259.

<3> 1958, OS Card (Bibliographic reference). SBL5622.

<4> 1974, OS Card (Bibliographic reference). SBL5628.

<5> Mus File SO89NE 2 (Bibliographic reference). SBL3260.

<6> Hancock, Geoffrey, 1991, A Tettenhall History, 8 (Bibliographic reference). SBL5108.

<7> Horovitz, David, 2010, Notes and Materials on the Battle of Tettenhall and other researches (Bibliographic reference). SBL7421.

<8> Mike Shaw, 2011, Comment 2011 (Comment). SBL7415.

<9> Mike Shaw, 2012, Comment 2012 (Comment). SBL7462.

Sources and Further Reading

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