british and irish archaeological bibliography
Beacon Hill, Aspatria. Archaeological Survey and Field Investigation [Site name: BEACON HILL, ASPATRIA
Study area:
Investigation type: Post-determination/Research
District: Allerdale
Monument: [finds]. Early Medieval (410-1066), BURIAL. Early Medieval (410-1066), PIT. Undated, BARROW. Early Medieval (410-1066)
Ngr: NY14134185
Parish: Aspatria
Postcode: CA5 3EZ]
Pages:
14; figs; refs
Author:
Publisher:
Published:
1999
Abstract:
An investigation was undertaken at the former site of a barrow, in advance of the construction of an antenna platform on the summit of Beacon Hill. During excavation of the barrow in 1789, a stone-lined grave had been found which had contained a poorly-preserved human skeleton accompanied by an assortment of grave goods which had since been lost, although illustrations had survived. The 1997 investigation comprised a contour survey, trial trenching and examination of the stripped area of the antenna platform. A pit containing several fragments of poorly-preserved human bone, thirty fragments of iron and a large copper alloy pin was recorded within one of the two evaluation trenches. The objects were distributed throughout the fill of the grave, and were clearly not in situ. Examination of the stripped area resulted in the identification of a second pit. Several large sandstone blocks were noted within this feature, although no finds were recovered. Although no earthwork evidence was found to indicate the location of the barrow, the discovery of the disturbed grave strongly suggested that the barrow site and the antenna platform had coincided, at least in part. No prehistoric artefacts were recovered, and no evidence was found to suggest that the original barrow had been constructed at any time other than the Anglo-Scandinavian period. It was concluded that it could not be established with certainty that the grave was the same as that found in 1789, but that the disturbed nature of the fill and aspects of the assemblage made such an assertion at least plausible. [AIP]
Source description:
14pp, figs, refs
Dataset:
Coverage:
1997