Southern barrows....
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Images
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Southern trio... the size of these monuments is perhaps not readily apparent
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Looking very approx northeast across the southern trio – the solitary northern barrow is seen top left.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Northern barrow of southern group.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
The substantial northern monument of the southern trio... looking towards Frensham Great Pond. Great spot, access currently available for the antiquarian owing to damage to the fenceline.
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Northern barrow......
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
The great northern barrow marooned – for its own protection from common users – within a sealed fenceline. Oh for the provision of a simple kissing gate....
Image credit: Robert Gladstone
panorama view over the common from ‘Barrow 2’ towards the Great Pond – looking at ‘Barrow 3 + 4‘
Image credit: jonnee_l@soundnet associates ltd 2007
‘Barrow 1’ – wow! although trampled and plundered this must be the prettiest covered Bronze Age burial mound in the whole of SE england?!
Image credit: jonnee_l@soundnet associates 2007
Frensham Common Barrows – Barrow 1, looking towards the lovely Frensham Great Pond.
Image credit: Martin Bull
Articles
Not many Wombles up here on Frensham Common... but plenty of wombats. Nevertheless, four impressive round barrows, together with some nice views.
Frensham Common Barrows – RB’s – 31.5.2003
The common is full of well marked and maintained footpaths, so you can get to these wonderful barrows from many directions.
One simple and charming walk, is to park at the large carpark for Frensham Great Pond (which includes toilets, shop and free ‘Walks Around Frensham Common’ leaflet) and walk east around the north of the lovely pond, which is complete with sandy beach and good looking women. Then follow the yellow marked footpaths across the main A287 road, and up to the ridge ahead of you (‘The King’s Ridge’). This will take you straight to the edge of ‘Barrow 2’ where a really nice info board tells you about all four barrows.
The OS map shows 3 substantial barrows but in reality there is a lone barrow (‘Barrow 1’) 150m to the north of a tight cluster of three barrows in a row (Barrows 2, 3 and 4). Barrows 1 and 2 are very substantial, with barrows 3 and 4 being a smaller size. ‘Barrow 1’ has an info board again – a repeat of the one at Barrow 2.
Thankfully a lot of work has been recently done to reduce further erosion to these barrows, with cyclists and horse riders now forced to go around the barrows. The view from the ridge / barrows is spectacular, and there is an abundance of wildlife in the area (birds, lizards).
Frensham is associated with the fairies’ kettle, which you may now find in the church, apparently – it is three feet in diameter and made of copper. Aubrey wrote about it:
“In the vestry of Frensham church, in Surrey, on the north side of the chancel, is an extraordinary great kettle or caldron, which the inhabitants say, by tradition, was brought hither by the fairies, time out of mind, from Borough-hill, about a mile hence. To this place, if anyone went to borrow a yoke of oxen, money, etc., he might have it for a year or longer, so he kept his word to return it. There is a cave where some have fancied to hear music. In this Borough hill is a great stone, lying along the length of about six feet. They went to this stone and knocked at it, and declared what they could borrow, and when they would repay, and a voice would answer when they should come, and that they should find what they desired to borrow at that stone. This caldron, with the trivet, was borrowed here after the manner aforesaid, and not returned according to promise; and though the caldron was afterwards carried to the stone, it could not be received, and ever since that time no borrowing there.”
It’s a bit unclear where exactly the borough hill is/was – but it is very tempting to assume it was one of the barrows on the common. There’s also the Devil’s Jumps, two natural hills, which might fit the bill.
Anyway the story fits into a whole series of local myths (incorporating a cave, a witch called Mother Ludlam, the Devil, and a holy spring – how much more do you want); you can read Chris Hall’s article at the Leyhunting website. Scroll down and there are details of a fieldtrip to all the sites too.
leyhunt.fsnet.co.uk/lhunt87.htm
Four bowl barrows crest King’s Ridge upon Frensham Common: a large, solitary monument to the north (SU85329 40783) with a trio to its immediate south (SU85340 40644).
Much to my chagrin, the common proved to be an overwhelmingly popular haunt for dog walkers, equestrians, mountain bikers and moronic motorbikers during Easter 2023... none of which, as you would no doubt expect in the Surrey Stockbroker Belt, appeared to have the slightest interest in visiting ancient heritage.
Ironically, however – and for all the wrong reasons – it would appear this was not always the case, a perusal of The Surrey Archaeological Society’s website revealing the extent of serious past erosion by ignorant common users – damn them all to blazes! Sadly, this has necessitated the isolation of the monuments within fencelines, something I abhor, but understand in this instance... although a kissing gate would’ve been a welcome – and rather obvious – amenity to placate those venturing upon the common to use their brain. As it is I was able to access the triple alignment owing to damage to said fence... the latter something a pedestrian gate may well have prevented. But there you are – please bear this in mind should you choose to come.
Historic England has the following to note:
Northern:
“... a bowl barrow situated on the crest of a ridge in the Lower Greensand. The barrow mound has dimensions of 20m north-south by 23m east-west by 1.8m high. Surrounding the mound is a ditch from which material was quarried during the construction of the monument. This is no longer visible, having become infilled over the years, but survives as a buried feature c.3m wide.”
Triple alignment:
“... three bowl barrows aligned north-south and situated on the crest of a ridge in the Lower Greensand. The northern and largest of the three barrows has a mound 30m in diameter and 2m high with a slight dip in the centre suggesting that it was once partially excavated. This mound is surrounded by a ditch from which material was quarried during the construction of the monument. Visible remains of this survive to the north and west of the mound as an earthwork 3m wide and 0.5m deep; elsewhere it survives as a buried feature. The central barrow has a mound 15m in diameter and 1.1m high. This too shows evidence of probable partial excavation and is also surrounded by a ditch still visible as a slight depression to the east and west of the mound. The southern barrow comprises a mound 18m in diameter and 1.2m high with a surrounding ditch 3m wide and 0.5m deep visible to the east and south.”
There are – at least – some people in Surrey who give a damn.
Sites within 20km of Frensham Common
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Bourne Wood Barrow
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Thursley Common
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Turners Hill
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Crooksbury Common
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Hillbury
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Heath Brow Barrows
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Caesar’s Camp (Aldershot)
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Skirmishing Hill Earthwork
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Barossa Barracks Barrow
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Cockadobby Hill Barrow
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Albert Road Barrow
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St. Peter’s Church, Farnborough
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Hascombe Hill
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St Catherine’s Hill
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Hammer Wood
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Hornley Common Barrow
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Iping Common
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Wyke Green Farm
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St Martha’s Hill
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