The great barrow from the approx north. The ball’s not mine, by the way; I hear they have pretty hefty dogs around these parts....
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Images
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Note: image taken avoiding the crop within a tractor track...
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
The substantial monument from the south...
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Looking very approx east... The Great Wigborough Henge (now apparently but a crop mark) is/was that-a-way.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Again, note the ditch. This is a fine barrow, indeed.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Looking approx south. Note what appeared to be the remains of a substantial ditch...
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Articles
Another obscure gem of Essex.......
As with its not too distant neighbour at Tolleshunt Major, a little under 3.5 miles to the southwest, this fine round barrow, of copious circumference, has unfortunately been lumbered with the moniker ‘Mill Mound’, no doubt a reference to the former Virley Mill at TL948138, the latter demolished in 1900. However, don’t be fooled by such floury shenanigans. For this is the real prehistoric deal, worthy of a Paul Hollywood handshake. And then some.
Historic England has this to say:
“The barrow 380m east of Payne’s Farm is an example of a rare form of bowl barrow with a causeway across its surrounding ditch.... It survives as a hemispherical earth mound which measures 30m in diameter and c.2m in height. It is surrounded by a shallow ditch from which material was quarried during the construction of the monument. This has become partly infilled over the years but survives as a slight earthwork 3m wide and c.0.4m deep. The ditch has a causeway 5m wide on the eastern side.” [List Entry Number: 1009450]
A public footpath heads south from Colchester Road (very roughly midway between Payne’s Farm and Brooklyn) leading unerringly to the great monument, the surrounding ditch still pretty clear.
Sites within 20km of Mill Mound, Salcott-cum-Virley
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Great Wigborough Henge
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Mill Mound, Tolleshunt Major
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Coneyfield Barrow
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Mersea Mount
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Lexden Dyke
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Lexden Tumulus
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Chipping Hill Camp
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Asheldham Camp
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Pitchbury Ramparts
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St Osyth
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Boxted Cross Henge
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Danbury
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