Monument record 1585 - Nab Head Round Barrow

<1> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ 97 NW 6 (Index). SCH2487.

Nab Head round barrow. In 1960 it was reported as a central mound forty feet in diameter, much damaged by centre-robbing and stone quarry, with an outer circular ditch ninety feet in diameter, circa one foot deep. [LJ Vigor, 05/09/1960]

By 1964 there was no trace of the ditch and the site was described as a disturbed round barrow seventeen metres in diameter and one metre high. There was no trace of the ditch. [TP Waggot, 15/04/1964]

<2> Longley D, 1977-1978, Longley Archive, no.29 (Paper Archive). SCH2005.

The mound measures eighteen metres in diameter and 1.2 metres high. It is located in pastureland on the summit of a steep sided hill 935 feet above sea level. There is a trig point placed in a large depression at the centre of the site and some disturbance to the south eastern extremity of the mound. The mound has not been excavated and there are no reported finds.

No change since Tom Clare’s survey in 1972, disturbance to south eastern extremity of mound. There was no sign of any ditch mentioned in 1962 (see 1). However, the depression is caused by an old field boundary bank to the north east of the barrow. Situated on summit of hill, a north – south ridge falling steeply to east and west. Area around occupied by pasture. Plan and profile survey.

<3> English Heritage, Various, Old/Original Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Description), CH56 (Scheduling Record). SCH4606.

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

<5> English Heritage, Various, Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Amendment), 22573 (Scheduling Record). SCH2950.

The monument is a bowl barrow located on the summit of Nab Head. It includesan oval mound of earth and stones up to 1.8m high with maximum dimensions of 19m by 17m. At the barrow's centre is a hollow 4m in diameter and 0.4m deep within which is an Ordnance Survey column. A shallow trench has been cut from the barrow's north-western side into the central hollow. Surrounding the barrow on all sides except the west, where it underlies an old field boundary, is a shallow ditch 0.4m wide by 0.2m deep which is separated from the mound by a berm 3.5m wide. The Ordnance Survey column is excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath the column is included.

<6> Historic England & Archaeological Research Services, 2017, Cheshire National Mapping Programme and Lidar Mapping Project: Sampling the Peak Fringe, Cheshire Plain and Mersey Valley, 78193 (Digital Archive). SCH8172.

The Bronze Age bowl barrow and the associated central depression or extractive pit of uncertain date were mapped as part of the Cheshire National Mapping Programme project. The earthworks remain extant on the latest 2010 aerial photography (see 7). A second extractive pit of uncertain date appears to have disturbed the south-eastern side of the barrow.

<7> Next Perspectives, 2010, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery (2010), SJ9478, 17/10/2010 (Aerial Photograph). SCH8173.

Half to two thirds of the ditch c.90 feet in diameter mentioned by LJ Vigor in 1960 on source (1) is visible on this aerial image. The ditch is generally defined by two parallel parch marks defining banks either side of the ditch.

<8> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Land Line and Master Map Vector Maps, (05/01/2022) (Maps and Plans). SCH4491.

<9> See map for surveyor, c.1837-51, Cheshire Tithe Maps and Awards, EDT 56/2, 1849 (Maps and Plans). SCH3266.

This map depicts a small sub-circular enclosure up to twenty-four metres at this location. It is described as a plantation.

<10> Various, Various, Oral communication to the HER, Edwards R, 11/01/2022 (Oral Communication). SCH2330.

The description of the earthwork, a mound with a central hole, is very similar to earthworks associated with the surface remains of bell pits used for the extraction of shallow coal deposits within this area. Furthermore, there are a number of bell pits whose remains have been reused for small circular woodland plantations c.250-300 metres to the west and north-west (CHER15453).