Mill Mound, Salcott-cum-Virley

Nearest town:
Wivenhoe (11km NE)
OS reference:
TL9487714584
OS sheet:
168
Latitude:
51° 47' 43.53 N
Longitude:
0° 49' 34.9 E
Added to TMA by

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Image of Mill Mound, Salcott-cum-Virley (Round Barrow(s)) by GLADMAN

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
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Nov 17, 2021
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Mill Mound, Salcott-cum-Virley
Round Barrow(s)
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Nov 9, 2021
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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.

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