Monument record MLI43651 - Neolithic Long Barrow, Forty Acre Plantation, South Ormsby
Summary
Cropmarks of a probable Neolithic long barrow, to the south of Forty Acre Plantation, South Ormsby.
Type and Period (1)
- LONG BARROW (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2201 BC)
Protected Status/Designation
Full Description
A probable Neolithic long barrow, visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs taken of this area to the south of Forty Acre Plantation, South Ormsby. The long barrow is situated towards the tip of a spur on the upper slope of a south-facing valley side, overlooking Calceby Beck. It is defined by an oval ditched enclosure measuring 20m by 51m, aligned on a north-east to south-west axis. It is roughly oblong-shaped with a convex east end, although the west end is less clearly defined. The site seems to be overridden by lines of levelled ridge and furrow cultivation. Field walking on the site conducted in November 1993 revealed no surface traces of finds. Faint traces of two further nearby possible long barrows also appear as cropmarks to the south-west (see MLI126959) and south-east (see MLI126960), along with a probable Bronze Age round barrow slightly further to the south-east (see MLI82256). {1}{2}{3}{4}
The group of three long barrows and the nearby round barrow were all scheduled in April 2024, together with an adjacent C-shaped enclosure of likely prehistoric date (see MLI128005). The survival of all these monuments as buried features had been confirmed by geophysical survey, conducted in 2018, along with the clearly defined cropmarks noted on aerial photography. All of the features here lie below the crest of the hill south of Bluestone Heath Road, and north of the valley of a small brook which eventually joins Calceby Beck.
This long barrow is as described above, with the geophysical survey comfirming the complete circuit of the enclosing ditch, which measures around 2m wide. The internal measurements of the barrow are 45.95m in length by between 17.7m and 21.9m in width, with the slightly wider end towards the north-east. Valuable archaeological deposits will be preserved on the buried ground surface and in the fills of the ditches. These will provide rare information concerning the dating and construction of the monument and the sequence of mortuary practices at the site. The same deposits will also retain environmental evidence illustrating the nature of the landscape in which the monuments were set.
The three long barrows, one round barrow and C-shaped ditched enclosure form a group. They are all situated within 90m of each other and demonstrate that there was considerable activity in this location in the Neolithic and Bronze Age period. They also form part of the wider significant group of long barrows in the Lincolnshire Wolds. {5}
Sources/Archives (5)
- <1> SLI5407 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.22.
- <2> SLI2302 Index: Dilwyn Jones. 1998. Gazetteer of Neolithic Elongated Enclosures and Extant Long Barrows in (Historic) Lincolnshire. no.22.
- <3> SLI89 Aerial Photograph: Aerial Photograph. OS/73030 V 0262-3 (23/03/1973).
- <4> SLI145 Aerial Photograph: Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England. 1946-98. RCHME National Aerial Photograph Collection at Swindon. NMR TF3575/1-2 (30/07/1991).
- <5> SLI13386 Website: Historic England (formerly English Heritage). 2011->. The National Heritage List for England. http://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/. 1489374.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred TF 3604 7603 (54m by 54m) Estimated from Sources |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | SOUTH ORMSBY CUM KETSBY, EAST LINDSEY, LINCOLNSHIRE |
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (1)
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External Links (0)
Record last edited
Mar 6 2026 1:20PM
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