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Monument record MDR950 - Round barrow, Aleck or Elk Low, Hartington Nether Quarter

Type and Period (4)

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Full Description

Elk or Aleck Lowe, on a considerable eminence near Newhaven, was excavated on August 5th 1843 when a central crouched inhumation and a cremation were found, as well as two more skeletons and a Food Vessel of Manby's Type 3 (i). (1, 5, 8) (SK 17495947) Tumulus. (7) A spread and flat topped round barrow with a smaller mound superimposed, probably excavation spoil. Resurveyed at 1:2500. (9) Additional reference. (11) Aleck or Elk Low barrow, measuring 17 metres in length, 14½ metres in breadth and c.1 metre in height. It was excavated by T Bateman in August 1843 and L. Jewitt during the 1860s. The primary burial was a crouched skeleton with a cremation adjacent to its left hand. These were on a layer of clay with three flint implements, some hazelnuts, charcoal and a piece of smoothed sandstone. Two inhumations were found elsewhere in the mound with fragments of food vessel and a few dog's teeth. (12) This barrow had its top removed prior to 1843. Its outer parts comprise several concentric lines of tilted slabs, some of which are still visible. Within this it comprises small stones and earth over a thin layer of clay. A mound measuring 7 by 5½ metres in the north-west quadrant was added after 1843, probably by the Ordnance Survey. The description of the excavations given in the North Derbyshire Archaeological Trust Index (1096) is misleading, it should read: Bateman found an inhumation, and adjacent human cremation, on a surface of the basal clay layer, accompanied by charcoal, hazelnuts and flint. In the clay beneath, which here appears to have extended downwards in to a 0.3m (1 ft) deep pit, were four flints and a 'smoothed sandstone'. Elsewhere in the trench were two inhumations, dog teeth and sherds of a 'large urn' which was profusely decorated (not in SCM). It is far from clear if Lucas excavated the site, as a hybrid Beaker/ Food Vessel from his collection was variously described in early illustrations as from Aleck Low and Lean Low (SMR 7017) (see Marsden 1976). This was accompanied by a flint flake-knife, two cores and two flakes. Vine (1982) notes Aleck Low was excavated by Lucas and Carrington on the 5th July 1866. Marsden puts forward a well argued case for Lean Low. However against this is the similarity in numbers of flints and the description by Bateman of sherds, with the finds in the Lucas collection. This suggests that either the finds were obtained from Bateman, or that an excavation took place in 1866 at Aleck Low that recovered artifacts left on site by Bateman (and more sherds of the vessel that made it worth retaining?). (14) Photographic record. (15) Aleck Low bowl barrow is a sub-circular cairn situated on the western upland ridges of the limestone plateau of Derbyshire. The monument includes a mound measuring 17 metres by 14.5 metres surviving to a height of c.1 metre and with a visible limestone kerb. The top and part of the north quadrant of the mound have been damaged by partial excavations carried out prior to and during the nineteenth century. Ploughing has also caused some disturbance in the past by reducing the overall diameter. A Bronze Age date has been assigned to the monument following the discoveries made by Thomas Bateman during his excavation of part of the site in 1843. These included a crouched inhumation and a cremation, fragments of Bronze Age pottery and a number of flint tools. An Ordnance Survey trig point, on the eastern side of the monument, is excluded from the scheduling although the ground beneath it is included. (16) Site monitoring has been carried out and area appears not to be under threat. (17)

Sources/Archives (17)

  • <1> Bibliographic reference: Bateman, T. 1848. Vestiges of the Antiquities of Derbyshire. p45.
  • <2> Bibliographic reference: Bateman, T. Illustrations of Antiquity.
  • <3> Bibliographic reference: Description of Tumuli Opened by Thomas Bateman Esq. of Bakewell in the Summer of 1843. In Collection Antiqua, Fol. 17..
  • <4> Bibliographic reference: Bateman, T. A Description of Tumuli or Barrows in Derbyshire opened by Thomas Bateman Jun of Bakewell in the Summer of 1843..
  • <5> Bibliographic reference: Jewitt, L. 1870. Grave Mounds and their Contents. pp 72-73, illus.
  • <6> Bibliographic reference: Abercromby, J. 1912. Bronze Age Pottery of the British Isles. p204.
  • <7> Map: Ordnance Survey (OS). 1955. 6".
  • <8> Article in serial: Manby, T. 1957. 'Food vessels of the Peak District', Derbyshire Archaeological Journal. Volume 77, pp 1-29. p18.
  • <9> Personal Observation: F1 FRH 06-JUL-66.
  • <10> Article in serial: Marsden, B. 1976. 'The excavation of the Snels Low and Lean Low round cairns', Derbyshire Archaeological Journal. Vol. 96. pp 5-14.
  • <11> Bibliographic reference: Marsden, B. 1977. The Burial Mounds of Derbyshire. p48.
  • <12> Index: North Derbyshire Archaeological Trust (NDAT). North Derbyshire Archaeological Trust Index: 1096. 1096.
  • <13> Monograph: Vine, P M. 1982. The Neolithic and Bronze Age Cultures of the Middle and Upper Trent Basin, British Archaolog. Report. BS 105. p153, figs 347, 184.
  • <14> Unpublished document: Barnatt, J. 1989. The Peak District Barrow Survey (updated 1994). Site 7:31.
  • <15> Photograph: Peak District National Park Authority (PDNPA). Slide Collection. 6903.1-2.
  • <16> Scheduling record: English Heritage. 1981. Scheduling Notification: Aleck Low Bowl Barrow. Cat. No.:175.
  • <17> Unpublished document: Brown, R (PDNPA). Scheduled Monument Monitoring Form: Aleck Low Bowl Barrow.

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Grid reference Centred SK 1749 5947 (14m by 17m) (Centre)
Civil Parish HARTINGTON NETHER QUARTER, DERBYSHIRE DALES, DERBYSHIRE

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (4)

  • EDR629
  • EDR3139
  • EDR3140
  • EDR846

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Record last edited

May 20 2015 9:05AM

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