NHER 6735 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Kettle Hill Bronze Age round barrow

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

See also further .

Summary

A Bronze Age round barrow named Kettle Hill is depicted as an earthwork on historic maps. It is probably the 'large tumulus ... near Roughton Mill' excavated by G.J. Chester in the 19th century, although this event has also been associated with a barrow to the southeast (NHER 38664). Chester encountered several deposits of charred wood and a mass of burnt bones. He also retrieved at least one possible hammerstone and a fragment of pottery. The barrow survives as a low earthwork, albeit in a mutilated state.

Protected Status/Designation

Location

Map sheet TG23NW
Civil Parish ROUGHTON, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Map

Find a placename, postcode or grid reference

Map layers

Base layers

Info

Record list

Tools

Called Kettle Hill on (S1).

R.R. Clarke (NCM) and L.V. Grinsell couldn't find it 19 June 1936.

Mutilated, covered in bushes.
17m diameter, 1.3m high. Ditch 4m wide, 20cm deep. Fenced September 1982 - dimensions June 1979.
A.J. Lawson (NAU).

For sources and possible contents see NHER 6737.

Described in (S2) when excavated 1849 by G. Chester - 'large tumulus near Roughton Mill'. North to south trench produced small piece of charred wood 61cm (2ft) from surface; about 30cm (a foot) below in centre a large round stone; (possibly same as flint hammerstone in Ashmolean Museum. Presented by G. Chester 592.1872): deposit of charred wood 30cm (a foot) below last and about 1.5m x 0.9cm (5 x 3ft) on natural soil. At south end barrow on natural 1.8m (6ft) from top of barrow, large mass burnt bones about 0.9m (3ft) circumference, no other finds. East to west trench at north a small deposit charred wood, at east side mound charred wood with a small pottery fragment. See copy in file under NHER 6737 slightly differing account, (S3).
E. Rose (NLA), 9 January 1985 from notes by E.B. Green (NCM).

February 1984.
Much mutilated mound now surrounded by substantial fence. Grass, no bushes or bracken.
J. Wymer (NAU).

July 2004, Norfolk NMP.
NMP mapping has led to the alteration of the central grid reference for the site from TG 2183 3900 to TG 2174 3901.

The round barrow described above is visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs (S4-6). Several Bronze Age barrows survived as earthworks on Roughton Heath until the 19th and 20th century. Like round barrows NHER 38664 and NHER 6737 to its south-east, Kettle Hill lies on the 70m OD contour line on the western edge of the heath, overlooking the valley of Hagon Beck to the west.

The mound is visible as a sub-circular earthwork measuring approximately 15m in diameter. Part of a possible external ditch is just visible on vertical aerial photographs from 1969. This has an approximate diameter of 16.5m.
S. Tremlett (NMP), 1 July 2004.

February 2011.
Section 17 management agreement renewed.
See (S7).
D. Robertson (HES), 11 March 2011.

April 2011. Monitoring during the installation of rabbit fencing.
Work carried out under Section 17 agreement.
D. Robertson (HES), 11 April 2011.

  • --- Article in Serial: Clarke, W. G. 1913. Norfolk Barrows. The Antiquary. Vol XLIX pp 416-423. p 419.
  • --- Correspondence: Various. Letters.
  • --- Designation: [unknown]. Ancient Monuments Form. SAM Record. DNF24.
  • --- Designation: Corbishley, M.J.. 1983. AM107.
  • --- Monograph: Lawson, A. J., Martin, E., Priddy, D. and Taylor, A. 1981. The Barrows of East Anglia. East Anglian Archaeology. No 12.
  • --- Photograph: CNV 4.
  • --- Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Bronze Age. Roughton [3].
  • --- Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
  • --- Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TG 23 NW 4; TG 20 NW 10.
  • --- Secondary File: Secondary File.
  • --- Unpublished Document: H. Paterson (A&E), MPP. Section 17 Management Agreement.
  • <S1> Map: Ordnance Survey. 1805-1836. Ordnance Survey Map. One inch to the mile. First Edition.
  • <S2> Article in Serial: 1850. Proceedings at the Meetings of the Archaeological Institute. The Archaeological Journal. Vol VII pp 172-198. pp 190-191.
  • <S3> Article in Serial: Chester, G. J.. 1859. Account of the Discovery of Ancient British Remains, Near Cromer. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol VI pp 263-267. pp 266-267.
  • <S4> Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1963. RAF 58/5842 (F22) 0004-5 23-JUL-1963 (NMR).
  • <S5> Vertical Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1969. OS/69038 030-1 04-APR-1969 (NMR).
  • <S6> Vertical Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1988. OS/88097 024-5 15-MAY-1988 (NMR).
  • <S7> Unpublished Document: Norfolk County Council. 2010-2011. Norfolk Monuments Management Project Section 17 agreement.
  • HAMMERSTONE (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • HUMAN REMAINS (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • POT (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)

Related NHER Records (0)

Record last edited

Jan 16 2025 5:20PM

Comments and Feedback

Your feedback is welcome; if you can provide any new information about this record, please contact the Norfolk Historic Environment Record.