Monument record 840/1/7 - Seven Lows Barrow 7, South of Fishpool Lane Farm

<1> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ56NE4 1976 (Index). SCH2487.

Bronze Age Round Barrow. Levelled in 1812. In 1961 OS reported centre almost ploughed out. Recognisable but not portrayable. 18m diameter, 0.2m high. Under plough.

<2> Longley D, 1977-1978, Longley Archive, /no.100 & 696 (Paper Archive). SCH2005.

n 1978 Longley reported a slight rise, 0.3m high, in the field boundary that surmounts it. The fields on either side of the hedge are under grass.

<3> Longley D, 1979, Prehistoric Sites in Cheshire, /32 (Report). SCH2719.

<4> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I, 1/83 Longley D 1987 (Book). SCH3556.

<5> English Heritage, Various, Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Amendment), 90857 (Scheduling Record). SCH2950.

Descheduled 1994

<6> Ormerod, G., 1882, The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, vol.II, p.2 (1st ed) (Book). SCH1389.

<7> Chester Archaeological Society, Journal of the Chester Archaeological Society, vol.4, p.106 (Journal/Periodical). SCH1595.

<8> Engineering Archaeological Services, 2012, Seven Lows Geophysical Survey, R3564 (Client Report). SCH7318.

A recent project to study the hillforts of the mid-cheshire ridge as part of the prehistoric landscape of Cheshire (Habitat and Hillforts Project) resulted in the research excavation of one of the Seven Lows barrow group (barrow 7). Prior to excavation, a geophysical survey was undertaken which identified a ring feature.

<9> Garner, D, 2012, Hillforts of the Cheshire Sandstone Ridge, p21-24 (Book). SCH7678.

Following on from the geophysical survey of barrow 7, a 2m by 50 m long section was excavated across the centre of the ring identified. The ring was made up of natural subsoil forming a low bank around the outside of a broad, shallow quarry ditch. The circular quarry ditch had been excavated to create a central platform about 10m in diameter, this form of barrow is often referred to as a saucer barrow. Initial investigations on the central platform recovered fragments of burnt, bone, prehistoric pottery and part of a large pit. The trench was widened to expose the full extent of the pit and in doing so two intact cremation urns were exposed. The trench was subsequently widened further to an area of about 10m by 10m and another two urned cremations were found. All four cremation urns appeared to have been deposited during a secondary use of the central platform. Primary use of the platform appeared to have involved the excavation of four large pits, none of which contained an intact burial although all produced small sherds of collared vessels and fragments of cremated bone. One of the pits had a complete saddle quern stone buried adjacent to in in an inverted postions. Perhaps the most unique find was a small piece of worked bone (a toe bone from a sheep/goat) which had been made in to an object with perforation which resembled a toggle or bead, although other suggestions have included a shepherds whistle. (See also source 11 for a summary of the excavation).

<10> Various, 2012, Specialist reports from Seven Lows (Excavation Archive). SCH7333.

An analysis of the cremated remains contained in the four urns recovered in the 2012 excavation suggested three of the urns contained a single individual while the fourth appeared to contain two individuals including one adult and one possible adult or adolescent.

<11> Earthworks Archaeological Services, 2012, A Training Excavation at The Seven Lows Barrow Cemetery, Fishpool Lane, Delamere, Cheshire, R4109 (Client Report). SCH8379.

<12> Garner, D, 2021, The Seven Lows prehistoric barrow cemetery, Fishpool Lane, Delamere, Cheshire: a reassessment (Article in Journal). SCH9335.

Excavation in 2012 of a barrow near Delamere provided an opportunity to examine its form, function and date. It was tentatively identified as a saucer barrow that seems to have formed the nucleus of a barrow cemetery known as the Seven Lows.Four secondary cremation burials in Collared Urns were recovered, representing four or five adult individuals. Radiocarbon dates indicate that the barrow was in use for up to 450 years during the Bronze Age. However, the recovery of late Neolithic Grooved Ware may suggest an earlier origin.