Monument record MDR1109 - Sharp Low Barrow, Tissington
Type and Period (3)
- INHUMATION (Saxon - 410 AD to 1065 AD)
- BOWL BARROW (Early Bronze Age to Saxon - 2350 BC to 1065 AD?)
- INHUMATION (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
Protected Status/Designation
Full Description
A barrow, 18 inches high, called Sharp Low is located on the summit of a hill to the left of the road to Dovedale from the New Inns toll-bar. It was opened on the 27th March 1848 by T Bateman. A trench from the south side to the centre of the barrow was opened, in which the contracted inhumation of a young person lying on their right was found. Another trench, opened at a right angle to the first trench revealed a second contracted inhumation lying on its left side and accompanied by an iron knife which, from the impression retained by the rust on the knife, must have been swathed in fine woollen cloth. In the centre of the barrow were two pieces of well-baked pottery and beneath a stone, a bull horn and piece of bone. (1,6,9,10,11). The knife is stored at Sheffield Museum and has an accession number of J. 93-1144 [H 49]. (2).
(SK 16135287) Tumulus known as Sharp Low, though unnamed on the OS map. (3,4). The site is noted as a possible Anglian site. (5). A tree covered round mound with a maximum height of 1.0m. There is a quarry to the immediate north-east but this feature is not a spoil mound. The published survey (25") is correct. (7).
SK 16135286. Sharp Low is listed in the survey as a low, tree-planted cairn of 60ft diameter. (8).
Barnatt records the barrow's dimensions as c.18m in length, c.14m in breadth and 0.8m in height. The site utilises a natural knoll but is now ploughed over and covered in trees. (10).
Sharp Low became a scheduled monument on 10th March 1969. It is described as a sub-circular cairn in a hilltop location in the south-western ridges of the limestone plateau of Derbyshire. The monument includes a well preserved mound measuring 18m by 14m and standing c.0.6m high. The knife found with the second inhumation indicates the re-use of the barrow in the Anglian period. Excluded from the scheduling are the walls crossing the edges of the monument, although the ground beneath them is included. (11).
In 1997, the mound is described as being fully grassed over. The wall has been removed from the north and west sides and there are ten to twelve mature sycamore trees growing on and immediately adjacent to the mound. (12).
Site monitoring has been carried out and area appears not to be under threat. (13)
Sources/Archives (13)
- <1> SDR16985 Bibliographic reference: Bateman, T. 1861. Ten Years' Diggings in Celtic and Saxon Grave Hills. pp 26-27.
- <2> SDR4433 Article in serial: Addy, S. 1908. 'The names of the Derbyshire and Staffordshire barrows', Derbyshire Archaeological Journal. Volume 30, pp 103-141. p 135.
- <3> SDR12080 Map: Ordnance Survey (OS). 1955. 6".
- <4> SDR13112 Bibliographic reference: Cameron, K. 1959. 'The Place-Names of Derbyshire, Part II', English Place-Name Society. p 49.
- <5> SDR12503 Article in serial: Ozanne, A. 1962-3. 'The Peak Dwellers', Medieval Archaeology. Volume 6-7. p 43.
- <6> SDR6903 Bibliographic reference: Meaney, A. 1964. A Gazetteer of Early Anglo-Saxon Burial Sites. p 78.
- <7> SDR6157 Personal Observation: F1 FC 02-DEC-66.
- <8> SDR8643 Bibliographic reference: Marsden, B. 1977. The Burial Mounds of Derbyshire. p 96.
- <9> SDR9927 Index: NDAT. 1929. 1929. 1929.
- <10> SDR2466 Unpublished document: Barnatt, J. 1989. The Peak District Barrow Survey (updated 1994). Site 9:15.
- <11> SDR18127 Scheduling record: English Heritage. 1992. Scheduling Notification: Sharp Low Bowl Barrow. 13322. Cat. No.: 190.
- <12> SDR12683 Personal Observation: Smith, K (PPJPB). K Smith (Peak Park Joint Planning Board) personal communication. 22/5/1997.
- <13> SDR22182 Unpublished document: Gregory, R (PDNPA). 2008. Scheduled Monument Monitoring Form: Sharp Low Bowl Barrow.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred SK 1613 5286 (15m by 16m) (Centre) |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | TISSINGTON, DERBYSHIRE DALES, DERBYSHIRE |
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (2)
- EDR3152
- EDR739
Please contact the HER for details.
External Links (0)
Record last edited
Jan 12 2015 4:51PM