Monument record MDO5820 - Bell Barrow west of Veiny Cheese Pond, Long Crichel

A round barrow on Launceston Down. Subsequently used for intrusive later burials. Excavated in advance of ploughing.

A round barrow on Launceston Down. Excavated by C Green 1959 – 1960 on behalf of the Ministry of Works (Inspectorate of Ancient Monuments) in advance of deep ploughing. Small central mound contained primary crouched inhumation tightly bound with thongs. Above this was a secondary adult female inhumation accompanied by a child. The barrow had been enlarged and in the added portion were several cremations with urns of various types and also three pagan Saxon intrusive inhumations Two main phases of construction were noted, while the barrow was a focus for intermittent burial over a lengthy period. At the centre was a primary pit-grave containing two contracted inhumations plus some bones from a third individual. No grave goods were present, but one of the inhumations appeared to be accompanied by traces of a leather thong which the excavator speculated may have been used to bind the body, while the other appeared to have been laid parallel to a thin wooden stick. These central burials were covered by a mound which was surrounded by a ditch 18 metres in diameter, the latter separated from the former by a slight berm. Subsequently further burials, both inhumations and cremations, were inserted. Some of the cremations were accompanied by collared urns. The mound was enlarged, and another, concentric, outer ditch was dug 25 metres in diameter, it was again separated from the enlarged mound by a berm. Some further cremations continued to be deposited into this newly enlarged barrow. Subsequent activity comprises some Romano-British potsherds from the upper fill of the outer ditch, followed by 3 graves dug in the Anglo-Saxon period. Inserted into the top of the mound, each contained an extended inhumation, although two also contained bones of further individuals. The Anglo-Saxon date for these extended inhumations was confirmed by the presence in one grave of a small bronze buckle, an iron knife, a small iron buckle plate, part of a knife sheath and an iron awl, with a 7th century date suggested for these items. This barrow was originally recorded as part of ST 91 SE 57.

Record last edited

Aug 25 2022 11:31AM