Wildernesse Barrow

Also known as:
Millpond Wood
Nearest town:
Sevenoaks (2km SSW)
OS reference:
TQ53815662
OS sheet:
188
Latitude:
51° 17' 14.51 N
Longitude:
0° 12' 21.45 E
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Wildernesse Barrow (Round Barrow) by GLADMAN

This is a pretty substantial barrow, damage notwithstanding.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN May 11, 2023
Image of Wildernesse Barrow (Round Barrow) by GLADMAN

Sadly, a ruddy great path carves its way right across the top of the mound... but, hey, at least the barrow is still here. From the west.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN May 11, 2023

Articles

Millpond Wood, Wildernesse

Tiptoe through the bluebells. No hang on, that’s not right. But it’ll do.

GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jun 10, 2023

Miscellaneous

Wildernesse Barrow
Round Barrow(s)
GLADMAN
GLADMAN May 11, 2023

Millpond Wood is a veritable oasis of calm and greenery – assuming you discount the noisy japes of a couple of lads playing football in a nearby back garden – set between the Sevenoaks suburbs of St Johns, Seal and, appropriately enough, Wildernesse. Yeah, surrounded by housing estates as this woodland is, arguably the last thing one would expect to encounter would be a great round barrow upon its eastern fringes... and a pretty odd one at that, having been the depository for copious Mesolithic ‘artefacts’.

I approached via Pinewood Avenue – having made sure I wouldn’t annoy any locals with my finely honed lack of parking prowess – turning left, then left again as I entered the sanctuary of the canopy. Despite being bisected by a wide path, not to mention acting as the depository for some idiot’s grass cuttings, the barrow remains a substantial, upstanding monument. A rather idyllic setting, if the truth be told, particularly smothered with quite outstanding early May bluebells.

Furthermore, numerous locals out and about couldn’t have been more friendly, even a bloke who looked and sounded like Bez’s best mate. Well, all except one miserable old bat who objected about something or other – no idea what. But hey, there’s always one, isn’t there?

Miscellaneous

Wildernesse Barrow
Round Barrow(s)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jan 15, 2013

Unusual barrow, presumably Bronze Age in date but containing a large number of Mesolithic micro-flints.

According to Pastscape, “Ninety eight Mesolithic artefacts from Wilderness Barrow opened by W J L Abbot are in the British Museum; Tunbridge Wells Museum holds another 125 artefacts”.

Sites within 20km of Wildernesse Barrow

Like all websites everywhere, we use cookies.