Monument record 296 - Robin Hood's Tump bowl barrow

<1> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, 1976 SJ55NE1 (Index). SCH2487.

Robin Hood's Tump. A round barrow, excavated pre 1940. Constructed of sand and turf. No burials found but mound contained dozen worked flints. Two post holes and pit is north margin of mound attributed to pre-mound occupation. Mound turf and tree covered, 17.0m diameter, 1.2m high.

<2> Varley, W. J. & Jackson, J. W., 1940, Prehistoric Cheshire, /48 (Book). SCH2692.

<3> Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 1883 -, Transactions of the Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 50/97 Varley W J 1935 (Journal/Periodical). SCH3293.

<4> Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 1883 -, Transactions of the Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, /38 1961 (Journal/Periodical). SCH3293.

<5> Longley D, 1977-1978, Longley Archive, /no.90 1978 (Paper Archive). SCH2005.

Local information relates the mound as by product of building Vale Royal Abbey.

<6> Historic England, 2011, The National Heritage List for England, 22593 (Web Site). SCH6528.

The monument is Robin Hood's Tump bowl barrow. It is located on a broad, low ridge adjacent to a right-angled turn of Vale Road and includes a flat-topped sand and turf mound 17m in diameter and 1.5m high. Limited excavation during the 1930's located 12 worked flints within the mound. Two pits, one at the northern edge of the barrow and the other close to the centre, together with a line of 4 post holes dug into the buried landsurface, have been attributed to pre-barrow occupation.

<7> Varley W J, 1964, Cheshire Before the Romans, /66-67 (Book). SCH784.

<8> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I, 1/82 Harris B E (ed) 1987 (Book). SCH3556.

<9> CFA Archaeology Ltd, 2017, Vale Road, Alpraham, Cheshire. Archaeological Evaluation: Geophysical Survey and Trial Trenching (Client Report). SCH8372.

An archaeological evaluation comprising geophysical survey followed by six evaluation trenches was undertaken in July 2017 on land north of Vale Road, Alpraham. The work was done in advance of the construction of a dwelling with associated access, terracing and pond features. The site lies immediately to the west of a scheduled scheduled round barrow known as Robin Hoods Tump. The geophysical survey did not identify any archaeological features, however, the trenches did encounter archaeological remains in the form of pits and ditches, with fragments of post medieval pottery, burnt bone and ceramic building material also recovered.