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Monument record MDR992 - Cross Low barrow, Cross Low, Eaton and Alsop

Type and Period (3)

Protected Status/Designation

Full Description

Barrow situated on a ridge of rocky land near Cross Lowe Farm, opened by Thomas Bateman on the 12th August 1844. The mound is not more than 18 inches in height. In the centre was a rough, limestone cist in which was deposited an extended inhumation whose head lay south-east. Near the head was a cremation and at the other end of the cist was a child inhumation. Other artefacts include animal teeth, quartz pebbles and rat's bones. (1, 6) Barnatt records this barrow as 9:5 and notes that it is on a locally high point on a prominent ridge with good visibility in all directions. (7) Cross Low bowl barrow became a scheduled monument on the 22nd July 1961. It is a roughly circular cairn located on Cross Low Bank in the south-western ridges of the limestone plateau of Derbyshire. The monument includes a mound measuring c.20 metres by 18 metres and standing c.1 metre high. This was partially excavated by Thomas Bateman in 1843 and found to contain a crouched skeleton in a rough cist which also contained a fragment of stone axe and the cremated remains of two infants. Both the inhumation and the cremations were accompanied by ceremonial food vessels indicating a Bronze Age date for the barrow. Five other skeletons were found alongside the cist, one being accompanied by a food vessel and a bone pin. Another skeleton found nearer the surface would have been a secondary insertion and indicates an extended period of use for the barrow. Excluded from the scheduling are the walls crossing the edges of the monument, although the ground beneath them is included. (8) The scheduled monument description records that Cross Low barrow was excavated in 1844, but Barnatt has recorded that this barrow was excavated in 1843. Therefore, the scheduled monument record is at odds with Barnatt about which barrow is which (SMR 4805 and 4804). The SMR record has followed Barnatt's conclusions and the location of the barrow has been positioned within Cross Low barrow as recorded on the map. (9) Site monitoring has been carried out and area appears not to be under threat. (10)

Sources/Archives (10)

  • <1> Bibliographic reference: Bateman, T. 1848. Vestiges of the Antiquities of Derbyshire. p 57.
  • <2> Bibliographic reference: Abercromby, J. 1912. Bronze Age Pottery of the British Isles Volume 2. Volume 2. p 116.
  • <3> Article in serial: Fowler, M. 1955. 'The Transition from the late Neolithic to the Early Bronze Age', Derbyshire Archaeological Journal. Volume 75, pp 77-112.
  • <4> Article in serial: Manby, T. 1957. 'Food vessels of the Peak District', Derbyshire Archaeological Journal. Volume 77, pp 1-29.
  • <5> Bibliographic reference: Marsden, B. 1977. The Burial Mounds of Derbyshire. p 31.
  • <6> Index: North Derbyshire Archaeological Trust (NDAT). North Derbyshire Archaeological Trust Index: 0790. 0790. 0790.
  • <7> Unpublished document: Barnatt, J. 1989. The Peak District Barrow Survey (updated 1994). Site 9:5.
  • <8> Scheduling record: English Heritage. 1964. Scheduling Notification. Cat. No: 178. Cat. No.:178.
  • <9> Personal Observation: Thornton, A. Personal observation, map evidence, field visit etc..
  • <10> Unpublished document: Foster, E (PDNPA). Scheduled Monument Monitoring Form: Cross Low Bowl Barrow.

Map

Location

Grid reference Centred SK 161 555 (23m by 24m) (Approximate)
Civil Parish EATON AND ALSOP, DERBYSHIRE DALES, DERBYSHIRE

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (1)

  • EDR3144

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External Links (0)

Record last edited

Sep 4 2015 2:15PM

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