Miscellaneous

Norchard Beacon
Barrow / Cairn Cemetery

Group of four round barrows, near a couple of nearby defended enclosures, on the top of an west-east ridge alongside a road/track known as The Ridgeway. Somewhat crude excavation techniques were used...

Coflein descriptions of the barrow group (west-east):

Bier Hill IV (SN06980009)

One of four barrows upon Bier hill excavated 1851-1859 (see Nprn305116, 305117, 305119), 35m in diameter and 1.4m high, in which were found human bone, ashes and sherds of a cinerary urn.

Bier Hill III (SN07020010)

measures 26m in diameter and 1.6m high. In 1851 gunpowder was used to open a cist within the barrow, smashing a skeleton lying beneath the capstone.

Bier Hill II (SN07100009)

The smallest of four barrows upon Bier hill (see Nprn305115), 18m in diameter and 0.4m high, a ‘food vessel’ was recovered from the mound in 1851.

Bier Hill I (SN07280007)

27m in diameter and 1.6m high, BA pottery and flint chips were recovered in the 1850’s. There are no indications that the mound has been used as a beacon.

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