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Sutton Cheney Barrows

Round Barrow(s)

<b>Sutton Cheney Barrows</b>Posted by ChanceImage © Chance - July 2014
Nearest Town:Hinckley (7km SSE)
OS Ref (GB):   SK41410062 / Sheet: 140
Latitude:52° 36' 4.9" N
Longitude:   1° 23' 18.64" W

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<b>Sutton Cheney Barrows</b>Posted by Chance <b>Sutton Cheney Barrows</b>Posted by Chance <b>Sutton Cheney Barrows</b>Posted by Chance <b>Sutton Cheney Barrows</b>Posted by Chance <b>Sutton Cheney Barrows</b>Posted by Chance <b>Sutton Cheney Barrows</b>Posted by Chance <b>Sutton Cheney Barrows</b>Posted by Chance <b>Sutton Cheney Barrows</b>Posted by Chance <b>Sutton Cheney Barrows</b>Posted by Chance <b>Sutton Cheney Barrows</b>Posted by Chance

Fieldnotes

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Visited July 2014

Made a point of checking out these two barrows as they were the only ones in the area that had officially been declared "round barrows" rather than "mounds". It would seem they only got to be officially recorded because they were dug into by Sir John Evans in 1851 and an artifact ended up in the Ashmolean.
Willful neglect seems to be the order of the day around these parts when it comes to antiquates, a local tradition that lives on into the present day.

Of the two barrows, the one furthest north at SK 41410079 is barley there. I could just make out a slight dome in the crop height after standing on a gate and looking over the field. I guess the trees around the mound were felled and the whole site ploughed level. Maybe you can see more when the crop is cut but not at this time of the season. It did make a perfect placement for a barrow and the drovers track (a gated road) that runs between the two barrows felt old, although the Romans are credited with most of the roads around here.

The second barrow is in the garden of the old vicarage. I read somewhere that Sir John Evans was the local vicar in 1851 which was probably why he dug into the barrow in the first place. From the lane, you can't see much of this except mature trees and a high hedge. A gate is placed next to the barrow but access is private. The lane seems to have been widened at some time, with the side of the barrow and ditch being cut into. Again, unless you knew where to look and from what angle, this site is well hidden.

I decided to chance my luck and made enquires to a guy on the front driveway in a large motor home. Initially he seemed a bit hesitant, saying the lady of the house would be back in an hour, but I persisted in my request to photograph the barrow and after checking with the kids playing in the garden, he allowed me access. I walked around the barrow taking pictures and asking the kids what they knew of the site. The side nearest the house had been utilized as an Anderson shelter in WWII but positioned as not to destroy the barrow itself. (Nothing on Pastscape about this addition). I remarked about spirits, but they seemed quiet happy and proud to have this barrow in the back garden. This monument survives well and had a contented vibe about it, which is far more than can said of some of the antiquities in the area.

Hardly worth a visit in itself, but maybe for the drive-by TMA types after visiting the Bosworth Battlefield or Bosworth country park.
Chance Posted by Chance
29th July 2014ce

Miscellaneous

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Details of barrows on Pastscape

(SK 41410063) Tumulus (NR) (1)
"Sutton Cheney. Bone pin found in a disturbed barrow opened by Sir John Evans in 1851". (2)
Peek and Parsons state that there are two ounds at Sutton Cheney, SK 414006, both visited on the ground. They say that the one south west of the road to Bosworth (SK 41410063) is the tumulus opened by Evans. Daniell however believes the find came from the barrow to the north east of the road at SK 414008, which was ploughed in 1955. The bone pin, Early Bronze Age, is in the Ashmolean Museum. (3-4)
Small circular tree covered mound, probably the barrow referred to by Daniell, visible to the north east of the road at SK 41420081. (5)

A: SK 41410063 An irregular tree covered mound with a maximum height of 1.3m, landscaped, and forming an integral part of a large formal garden; the north east quadrant is cut obliquely by the Sutton Cheyney - Market Bosworth road. No ditch is evident and the feature cannot be recognised as a burial mound; however the cutting (for a very early road) gives proof of some antiquity and it is scheduled as a round barrow.
Published survey 1:2500 correct.

B: SK 41410079 A round barrow previously tree covered but now under a cereal crop. The feature has a maximum diameter of 26.0m and a maximum height of 0.2m; there is no evidence of a ditch. Surveyed on MSD at 1:2500.

Both barrows are situated at 125.0m OD in open positions on high ground. The farmer could offer no useful information and it cannot now be stated which barrow produced the pin. (6)
SK 4141 0062. Bowl barrow at Sutton Cheney. The barrow is about 2m high and is flat topped. Truncating by the road on the east and lanscaping on the north has left the barrow with a square appearance measuring circa 20m on each side. There is no indication of a surrounding ditch. A second barrow located 150m to the north does not survive well and is not included in the scheduling. Scheduled (RSM) No 17081. (7)
Chance Posted by Chance
16th February 2014ce
Edited 16th February 2014ce