Source/Archive record SCH8379 - A Training Excavation at The Seven Lows Barrow Cemetery, Fishpool Lane, Delamere, Cheshire

An excavation was undertaken on barrow 7 of the Seven Lows Barrow Cemetery in August 2012. This study formed part of the 'Habitats and Hillforts Project', a wider archaeological study focusing on the hillforts of the Mid-Cheshire Ridge. Very few of the barrows in this area have been previously excavated using modern analytical techniques and, accordingly, agreement was reached to sample excavate a de-scheduled barrow site (barrow 7) located within the Seven Lows barrow cemetery, south of Fishpool Lane Farm, near Delamere. Although heavily denuded through repeat ploughing, barrow 7 was identifiable as a slight earthwork on LIDAR survey produced for the area as part of the wider project. Subsequent geophysical survey (ECH5752) in April 2012 confirmed the presence of a ring earthwork. A single east-west evaluation trench was excavated across the barrow and excavation undertaken by a team of supervised volunteers. On identification of significant archaeological deposits the trench was enlarged to the north and south in the central area. The excavation demonstrated that intact archaeology still survived below ground. Amongst other pit features, the remains of four collared urns, cremation vessels, were found concentrated within the central area of the barrow, enclosed by a broad, shallow circular ring-ditch with a diameter of circa 30m and possibly representing a 'saucer barrow'.