Monument record MDR7420 - Barrow 1, Ramsley Moor, Holmesfield

A large cairn to the north-east of Barbrook 1, with a diameter of 7m and a height of 0.6m, was excavated in 1965-6 by D Riley for the Hunter Archaeological Society. It was found to be a low kerbed cairn with an annexe to the east. There was evidence of burning and some burnt bone beneath the mound though no burials or grave goods were found. It is possibly one of the 10 barrows investigated by Mitchell in 1850. The later annexe contained a cremation in an upright biconical urn. (1) This excavated and restored cairn is just above the Barbrook I stone circle. It contained burnt bones near the centre, collared urn sherds in a pit under the kerb and a cremated child and a biconical urn in an annexe to the east. Several stones were found to have carvings only after they had been removed from the cairn. They are now in Sheffield City Museum store and comprise: a rectangular slab with a fine unworn cup and ring at the centre of one face; the ring is unusually wide and shallow with angular sides; a small triangular slab with four cups in a crude line along the edge of one face; a small slab with a single cup at the centre of one face; and a small slab with one or two cups on one face and another underneath. (3) Before excavation this site was 9m x 10.5m; after restoration it measures 7.5m x 7m. It comprises a stone cairn which is bowl shaped, retained at its outer edge by a 2-3 course drystone wall. To the east is a subrectangular platform retained at its edge by a kerb of blocks. It was totally excavated in quadrants by Riley in 1964-5, although there was already a central disturbance, possibly created by Mitchell in 1850, although this is uncertain. Several cremated deposits were found, one of which was a child aged 7-10 years. A flint scraper was found on the old ground surface below the east side of the cairn. Four cup marked stones and a rubbing stone were found in the cairn although their original context is unknown. (4)