Site Event/Activity record ECC2849 - Geophysical survey of Barrow A, University Research Park, Colchester, 2010

Location

Location Land north of Annan Road, Knowledge Gateway, the University of Essex
Grid reference Centred TM 0213 2417 (100m by 120m)
Map sheet TM02SW

Technique(s)

Organisation

Dennis, T. J. (Uni. Of Essex)

Date

September 2010

Map

Description

A magetometer survey (using a Geoscan Research FM256 intrument) was conducted by Dr Tim Dennis after the topsoil had been stripped from the site, and prior to the deposition of clay (to build up the land in the floodplain). The survey was carried out in two stages, the first covering an area of 40 x 80m using 1m traverses, aligned N to S with the barrow at the south end of the survey area. The second survey covered an area of 30 x 30m over the barrow at a higher resolution using 0.5m traverses (spacing). The survey detected possible interruptions in the barrow ditch, i.e. it does not appear to form a continuous circuit. These could be real or due to variable ground conditions, but it has not been the subject of further investigation. There was also a possible ring of post-holes detected around the ditch in the NW section, and a large spot anomaly within the ditch circuit. There is a strong positive anomaly in the centre of the barrow. Other positive anomalies outside the ditch could be secondary burials. The internal diameter of the ring ditch is only 9.5m, considerably smaller than the diameter of the mound - perhaps as a result of denudation to the mound? A LiDAR image was also produced for the four barrows (A, B, C, D), survey points spaced 25cm apart (100 x 120m in area). The tallest barrow is Barrow C, followed by B and A. Barrow A appears to have an outer bank, pronounced on the west side (and similar in height to the mound itself). Secondly, the mound is considerably larger than the ring-ditch defined by geophysical survey. Two arcs of higher ground around the north-west and south-east edges of Barrow C also suggest that this barrow has an outer bank. The LiDAR survey also suggests there is another barrow mound to the west-southwest of Barrow A.

Sources/Archives (1)

  • --- Watching Brief Report: Wightman, Adam (CAT). 2012. An archaeological watching brief at the Knowledge Gateway, the University of Essex, Colchester, Essex September 2010-August 2011.

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

  • Barrow cemetery, East of Moler Works, Colchester (Monument)

Child/subsequent Site Events/Activities (1)

  • Knowledge Gateway, the University of Essex, Colchester, 2010-11 (Ref: ECC2844)

Record last edited

Mar 22 2016 4:10PM

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