NHER 11431 (Monument record) - The Bowthorpe Barrow

The Norfolk Heritage Explorer is a filtered version of the Norfolk HER intended for casual research. Please contact us to consult the full record.

Summary

An aerial photograph taken in 1976 showed a ring ditch encircling a mound at this location. Subsequent excavations of the mound in 1979 established that it was of Early Bronze Age date and that the inner ditch contained ten coffin burials of flexed individuals. This information was based on soil staining as no physical evidence remained. These ten burials ringed a central grave although this grave, like the others, had very few associated artefacts. A number of later intrusions into the mound during the Iron Age, Roman, medieval and post medieval periods were noted.

Protected Status/Designation

None recorded

Location

Map sheet	TG10NE
Civil Parish	COSTESSEY, NORWICH, NORFOLK

Map

Find a placename, postcode or grid reference

Map layers

Base layers

Info

Record list

Tools

Full Description

June 1976.
Ring ditch noted on aerial photograph.
See copy (S1-2) in file.

1979. Excavation of Beaker/Early Bronze Age burial mound with Iron Age, Roman, medieval, post medieval intrusive material.
See published report (S4) for full details.
See also (S5) and notes, correspondence, aerial photograph and press cutting (S6) in file.
E. Rose (NAU) 17 December 1990.

July 2010. Norfolk NMP.
The Early Bronze Age round barrow excavated in 1979 was visible as a cropmark on aerial photographs (S1-S3). The rectification of these photographs was less than perfect, however the dimensions of the ring ditch match exactly those described in the excavation report (S4). The site centre has therefore been moved to TG 1726 0983.
The outer ring ditch measures approximately 25.5m externally and 21.5m internally, the inner ditch approximately 12m, and a central grave was visible within these two ditches.
A tangential ditch recorded during the excavation was also partially visible on the aerial photographs, together with several other linear features to the north (NHER 54443).
E. Bales (NMP), 20 July 2010.

Associated Sources (13)

--- SNF93537 Illustration: Unknown. Unknown. Drawing of a Bronze Age sherd.. Film. 1:1.
--- SNF10323 Photograph: Various.
--- SNF57722 Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
--- SNF57204 Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TG 10 NE 38.
--- SNF8804 Secondary File: Secondary File.
--- SNF2543 Serial: 1976. Council for British Archaeology Group 7 Bulletin of Archaeological Discoveries for 1976. No 23. p 6.
--- SNF8807 Slide: Various. Slide.
<S1> SNF75852 Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D, NLA. 1976. NHER TG 1709C-G (NLA 27/AEX1-7) 29-JUN-1976.
<S2> SNF12744 Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D, NLA. 1976. NHER TG 1709A-B (NLA 32/AFZ18-19) 13-JUL-1976.
<S3> SNF75853 Oblique Aerial Photograph: Lofting, P. 1979. NHER TG 1709K (NLA ?/-) XX-AUG-1979.
<S4> SNF6754 Article in Monograph: Lawson, A. J. 1986. The Excavation of a Ring-ditch at Bowthorpe. Barrow Excavations in Norfolk, 1950-82. East Anglian Archaeology. Lawson, A. J. et al.. No 29 pp 20-49.
<S5> SNF4499 Publication: Ayers, B. S. and Lawson, A. J. 1983. Digging Under the Doorstep: Recent excavations in Norwich.
<S6> SNF66951 Newspaper Article: The Times. 1980. Burial mound found. 4 March.

Site and Feature Types and Periods (9)

Object Types (11)

COFFIN (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
HUMAN REMAINS (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
POT (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
COFFIN (Beaker - 2300 BC to 1700 BC)
LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Beaker - 2300 BC to 1700 BC)
POT (Beaker - 2300 BC to 1700 BC)
LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
POT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Related NHER Records (0)

Record last edited

Jan 17 2025 12:10PM