Monument record MLI51561 - Neolithic Long Barrow, Tugdale Wood, Nettleton

Summary

Remains of a Neolithic long barrow, to the north-east of Tugdale Wood, Nettleton.

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Full Description

Remains of a probable Neolithic long barrow, visible as cropmarks and soilmarks to the north-east of Tugdale Wood, Nettleton. The barrow appears as an oval-shaped enclosure, measuring roughly 50m by 20m and defined by a single ditch. Identified on aerial photography examined as part of the National Mapping Programme. {1}{2}{3}{4} This long barrow is situated on the summit of a west-facing escarpment, at the head of a dry valley. It is aligned west to east, with the long axis traversing the countours. The barrow is visible as cropmarks, and takes the form of an oval-shaped enclosure. Further cropmarks of a smaller, circular feature about 4m in diameter towards the western end are thought to mark a possible grave. Field walking conducted on the site in March 1989 yielded no finds, but showed the position of the enclosure to correspond to an area of sandy, brown soil, markedly devoid of flint and chalk. {5}{6} The buried remains of a Neolithic long barrow, located 120m above sea level, on the eastern slope of the valley of the Nettleton Beck. Although the barrow cannot be seen on the ground, it can be seen as cropmarks of aerial photographs, in the form of a mortuary enclosure encircled by a ditch. The monument is aligned on a roughly south-east to north-west axis, and measures c.52m by 30m. The ditch is rectangular in plan with rounded ends, with that to the north-west being slightly flattened. The central enclosure would have been set aside for funerary activities, and is defined by an unbroken ditch which may have supported a palisade and façade or an arrangement of posts. Structures and deposits associated with these activities will survive as buried features. Some Lincolnshire long barrows were elaborated by the construction of large earthwork mounds during the final ritual phase. The material for such mounds was quarried from encircling ditches which are characterised by single causeways. However, the unbroken nature of this ditch indicates that this was a form of long barrow which, when the mortuary rituals were complete, was given a low covering of scraped earth rather than a high mound. The eastern end of the barrow may have been truncated by the installation of a gas pipeline in this area in 1993, although the level of any possible impact is currently unknown. {7}

Sources/Archives (7)

  •  Bibliographic Reference: P.L. Everson, C.C. Taylor and C.J. Dunn. 1991. Change and Continuity: Rural Settlement in North-West Lincolnshire. Archive Notes.
  •  Aerial Photograph: Paul Everson. 1975-90. RCHM. 2977/18-20 (1979).
  •  Aerial Photograph: Aerial Photograph. OS/67031 V 01 (16/04/1967).
  •  Map: Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England. 1992-1996. Lincolnshire National Mapping Programme. TF1299: LI.298.1.1.
  •  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.49.
  •  Index: Dilwyn Jones. 1998. Gazetteer of Neolithic Elongated Enclosures and Extant Long Barrows in (Historic) Lincolnshire. no.49.
  •  Scheduling Record: ENGLISH HERITAGE. 1997. SCHEDULING DOCUMENT 27857. MPP 22.

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Location

Grid reference Centred TF 1279 9967 (58m by 47m) Estimated from Sources
Civil Parish NETTLETON, WEST LINDSEY, LINCOLNSHIRE

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Record last edited

Dec 20 2023 3:10PM

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