Monument record MLI43185 - Neolithic Long Barrow, Cold Harbour Farm, Stenigot

Summary

Cropmarks of a probable Neolithic long barrow, to the north of Cold Harbour Farm, Stenigot.

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Full Description

Cropmarks of a probable Neolithic long barrow, to the north of Cold Harbour Farm, Stenigot. Visible on aerial photographs taken of this area in 1995. {1} This long barrow is situated just below the crest of a ridge top, overlooking the head of a valley of a tributary of the River Bain, adjacent to the bluestone heath ridgeway. It is aligned south-east to north-west, with the long axis traversing the contours. It is trapezoidal in shape, measuring 62m by 25m (tapering to 16m) with the side ditches producing a wider mark than the terminals. {2}{3} The long barrow lies on a north facing slope, with the remains of two Bronze Age bowl barrows in close proximity (see MLI80029 and MLI80030). Although the barrows cannot be seen on the ground, their infilled and buried ditches are visible from the air as cropmarks. The long barrow is roughly trapezoidal in shape, measuring approximately 62m long by 28m wide and oriented south-east to north-west, traversing the contour of the hill slope. The curve of the broad south-eastern terminal is less pronounced than that to the north-west. No causeway across the ditch is apparent, which may indicate that the long barrow is an example of the simpler form which was not elaborated by the construction of a large earthwork mound. Nevertheless, whilst some thickening of the side ditches suggests recutting, it is possible that this took place to provide enough material to give a low covering to the interior. Internal features such as ritual pits, post holes and mortuary surfaces and deposits will be preserved beneath the present ground surface. The long barrow is considered to belong to a group of similar monuments, both simple and elaborated, which focussed on the River Bain and its tributaries and with the prehistoric trackway now formalised as the Bluestone Heath Road. {4} More recent analysis of the aerial photography for this area shows the long barrow as cropmarks and soilmarks, and as a shallow earthwork. The barrow is defined by an elongated oval ditched enclosure, orientated north-west by south-east and with maximum dimensions measuring 57.5m by 22m. The ditch width is uneven, being wider along the two longest sides. The true extant of the earthwork survival is difficult to determine, due to a medieval/post-medieval field boundary bank appearing to have been constructed above it. Two Bronze Age round barrows have been constructed close to the long barrow, with the whole seeming to have been incorporated within an Iron Age/Roman settlement area (see MLI127002). A narrow linear ditch within the barrow enclosure may relate to the barrow itself or the later settlement activity. {5}{6}{7}

Sources/Archives (7)

  •  Aerial Photograph: Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England. 1946-98. RCHME National Aerial Photograph Collection at Swindon. TF2681/2-7 (1995).
  •  Article in Serial: Dilwyn Jones. 1998. 'Long Barrows and Neolithic Elongated Enclosures in Lincolnshire: An Analysis of the Air Photographic Evidence' in Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society. vol.64, pp.83-114, no.28.
  •  Index: Dilwyn Jones. 1998. Gazetteer of Neolithic Elongated Enclosures and Extant Long Barrows in (Historic) Lincolnshire. no.28.
  •  Scheduling Record: English Heritage. 1999. scheduling document 29738. MPP 22.
  •  Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946-71. RAF POST WAR COLLECTION. RAF/58/1398 V 0012 (29/03/1954).
  •  Aerial Photograph: Aerial Photograph. NMR TF 2681/32 (20044/04) (06/07/2004.
  •  Aerial Photograph: Aerial Photograph. NMR 28302_050 (15/05/2012).

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Location

Grid reference Centred TF 2667 8179 (68m by 70m) Estimated from Sources
Civil Parish STENIGOT, EAST LINDSEY, LINCOLNSHIRE

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Record last edited

Jan 24 2024 11:44AM

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