Prehistoric cremations from Pace Hill, near Crookham (Ford)
(Area NT 914374) Cremation burials, urn and jet necklace found. (1)
On a natural ridge, near Crookham Dene, several circular hollows, each filled with burnt bones, and covered by a flat stone, were found prior to 1842. One contained an urn, and a jet necklace. There was no appearance of a tumulus ever having covered the burials. (2)
No further information. (3)
Re-excavated in 1984. Four archaeological features lay within the area of excavation, three cists, and a shallow oval hollow containing a beaker. The form of the cists bears out Greenwell's description of hollows lined with small stones, and it a context in which the urn and necklace is appropriate. Cist 3 lay previously undisturbed and was missed by Greenwell, no trace of a body survived. Greenwell's finds probably came from cists 1 or 2. The beaker associated deposit was also previously undisturbed.
The location of these burials was slightly further north-west than indicated by source 1. Writing in source 2, Greenwell describes a rounded hill which resembles a tumulus and this has been equated with a glacial knoll on the edge of Crookham Dene, at NT 913 375. No artifacts or human remains were recovered from any of the cists, and it has been suggested that the soil conditions may not have favoured the preservation of bone. Shortly after completion of these excavations the site was brought under the plough for the first time.(4)
On a natural ridge, near Crookham Dene, several circular hollows, each filled with burnt bones, and covered by a flat stone, were found prior to 1842. One contained an urn, and a jet necklace. There was no appearance of a tumulus ever having covered the burials. (2)
No further information. (3)
Re-excavated in 1984. Four archaeological features lay within the area of excavation, three cists, and a shallow oval hollow containing a beaker. The form of the cists bears out Greenwell's description of hollows lined with small stones, and it a context in which the urn and necklace is appropriate. Cist 3 lay previously undisturbed and was missed by Greenwell, no trace of a body survived. Greenwell's finds probably came from cists 1 or 2. The beaker associated deposit was also previously undisturbed.
The location of these burials was slightly further north-west than indicated by source 1. Writing in source 2, Greenwell describes a rounded hill which resembles a tumulus and this has been equated with a glacial knoll on the edge of Crookham Dene, at NT 913 375. No artifacts or human remains were recovered from any of the cists, and it has been suggested that the soil conditions may not have favoured the preservation of bone. Shortly after completion of these excavations the site was brought under the plough for the first time.(4)
N1808
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1967; R W Emsley
EXCAVATION, Two Cemeteries of the Second Millennium B.C. in Northumberland - Pace Hill 1984
EXCAVATION, Two Cemeteries of the Second Millennium B.C. in Northumberland - Pace Hill 1984
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