Monument record 1600 - Yearn's Low Bowl Barrow

References to an excavation undertaken in 1970's are made by J.Barnatt (1988) and in Historic England's Scheduled Monument description. This excavation is described as having to be abandoned due to a change in land ownership of the site. The source of this information is given as the SMR/HER but the details for this are no longer clear.

The investigation and resulting finds recorded by Sainter in 1878 are recorded separately in record 1607.

<1> Sainter J D, 1878, Scientific Rambles Round Macclesfield, /16 1878 (Book). SCH2964.

Sainter records (1878) that the barrow `near Yarnslow Farm was investigated some years ago and produced Roman coins, glass beads & bones'.

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ97NE3/1964 (Index). SCH2487.

Field visit undertaken in 1964 records a hollowed out round barrow, with diameter 20m and height 1.3m.

<3> Longley D, 1977-1978, Longley Archive, /no.24 1978 (Paper Archive). SCH2005.

The 1978 survey records a mound approximately 20m in diameter and 1.3m high with a depression near the summit, possibly caused by partial excavation. Mound surmounted by three intersecting stone walls from the north-east and the west. Situated on a knoll under permenant pasture.

<4> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I, 1/84 1987 (Book). SCH3556.

SJ 964 760. Yearnslow: Round earthen mound; diameter 20m, height 1.5m.; bones and 'Roman' coins and glass beads found in the 19th cent.; depression in summit of site.

<5> Barnatt J, 1989, Peak District Barrow Survey, 22:10 (Unpublished Report). SCH2591.

This 1988 survey describes an oval bowl barrow measuring 19m by 18m with a height of 1.1m from the south-west and 1.4-1.5m elsewhere downslope. The mound does not appear to have been ploughed except slight truncation to the north-west. There is a deep pit in the centre (the excavation recorded by Sainter, 1878?); also a more recent trench to the north may represent an excavation undertaken in the 1970's (HER source). The site has minor robbing to the south. Two ruined dry stone walls cross the site and meet south-east of the centre. Survey at 1:200.

<6> English Heritage, Various, Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Amendment), /no.54 (Scheduling Record). SCH2950.

Yearn's Low bowl barrow: located in a slight col on a ridge, with higher ground to the east and west, and includes a mound of earth and stones 19m in diameter and up to 1.5m high. Nineteenth century investigation of the barrow's centre has left a hollow 0.8m deep; to the north of this is a trench 0.5m deep resulting from a small excavation undertaken during the 1970's. The antiquarian investigation located Roman coins, glass beads and some bones. No finds are recorded from the more recent excavation which was abandoned shortly after it began due to a change in the monument's ownership. Two drystone walls which cross the barrow and meet south-east of its summit are excluded from the scheduling. The site is a rare example in Cheshire of a bowl barrow displaying re-use during the Roman period. Further evidence of interments and grave goods will exist within the mound and upon the old landsurface beneath.

<7> Peak District National Park Archaeology Service, Various, Scheduled Ancient Monument Monitoring Form (Unpublished Document). SCH4989.

Four visits were made to the monument between 2005 and ?2014 as part of a programme of scheduled monument monitoring undertaken by the Peak District National Park. The site is described as being located in grassland grazed by sheep.

The following was observed on the first site visit (2005): 'Just to the south-east of the monument’s summit is the junction of two ruined drystone walls. At this junction is a mortared gritstone construction, 6ft 0ins high having a flat concrete platform accessible by two concrete steps. This recent construction on the barrow is well within the two metre boundary around the features considered necessary for the monument’s support and preservation. At the time of the site visit, fresh mortar splashes were evident around the base of the construction.'

The subsequent site visits in 2008, 2011 and ?2014 record the situation as unchanged.