Monument record 1567 - Bowl barrow on Toot Hill

The monument is a bowl barrow located on the south-western edge of the summit plateau of Toot Hill. It includes an oval mound of earth and stones up to 0.7m high with maximum dimensions of 9.7m by 8m. At the barrow's centre is a gritstone slab measuring 0.6m wide by 8cm thick and standing 0.45m high. Despite the erection of a stone slab at the monument's centre, the bowl barrow on Toot Hill survives reasonably well. It will contain undisturbed archaeological deposits within the mound and upon the old land surface beneath (2).

There would appear to be some confusion in some of the sources over the sites location, the Longley Archive records its location as SJ96927180 (3) and the Peak District Barrow Survey records it as SJ97037186 (4). This may be due to the presence of ruined field walls and the expansion of the surrounding forestry (4). The Schedule Entry is considered to be definitive SJ97067192 (2).

The Peak District Barrow Survey reported an amorphous, low, poorly defined feature c. 13m x 8m on gentle south-west facing slope, which is likely to be a natural feature. The stone may well be a boundary stone, rather than a prehistoric monument (5).

Plan & Profile of the monument (7).

Sainter reports a tumulus 12 feet in circuference and 2 feet high. On its northern side, close by is a pool 20 feet wide by 2 feet deep, possibly the source of the material made to create the mound (8).

<1> English Heritage, Various, Old/Original Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Description), Cheshire 58 (Scheduling Record). SCH4606.

<2> English Heritage, Various, Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Amendment), 23612 (Scheduling Record). SCH2950.

<3> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I, 1/84 Longley D 1987 (Book). SCH3556.

<4> Longley D, 1977-1978, Longley Archive, /no.76 1978 (Paper Archive). SCH2005.

<5> Barnatt J, 1989, Peak District Barrow Survey, /22:15 (Unpublished Report). SCH2591.

<6> Peak District National Park Archaeology Service, Various, Scheduled Ancient Monument Monitoring Form (Unpublished Document). SCH4989.

<7> County Historic Environment Record, 1977-8, Cheshire Archaeological Record Site Visit Form ~ Record No. 76 (Unpublished Document). SCH4990.

<8> Sainter J D, 1878, Scientific Rambles Round Macclesfield, p.19 (Book). SCH2964.