Bronze Age burial found on Lilburn South Steads Farm (Tillside)
(NU 02942367) A cist was discovered on 2nd May 1946 by Mr G P Hall of Lilburn South Steads in removing a large stone which had obstructed ploughing. It was situated in field No 175 on the line of the north wall of West Lilburn School playground 200 feet from its north-west corner, and was on the highest point of the north-south ridge.
Excavations on 6 May revealed a cist 3ft 2ins long x 2ft 10ins wide at west end and 2ft 0ins wide at east end, depth 2ft 0ins with sides formed of four large slabs - the coverstone was 1ft 0ins thick. There was no trace of a cairn or mound.
In the cist was an inhumation burial, fragments of a beaker of AC or C type, a small bronze blade (knife), fragment of worked flint, jet button 3 5/8" diameter with V shaped boring, and a small unshaped piece of chalk. (1)
Fragments of beaker, bronze blade, flint, jet button and fragment of chalk now in Blackgate Museum, Newcastle. Accession Nos 1946-9, 10, 11. (The beaker fragments are not exhibited). (2)
Dr Collingwood confirmed the site of these finds and the individual items themselves, adding that a stone axe of Dalbeatie granite was also found at the same spot in 1949.
This axe was given to the Society of Antiquaries Newcastle by Dr Collingwood in January 1949 and is now in the Black Gate Museum, Newcastle (Acc no.1949-1).
The site is upon the highest point of a pasture field with a slight slope to the north and steep slopes along the south boundary to a small stream. There is no evidence of antiquity to be seen. (3)
A short-necked beaker found together with a small copper or bronze blade and a jet button in a cist at West Lilburn. The knife is the only one from Northumberland associated with a beaker. (4)
Additional Reference (5)
Excavations on 6 May revealed a cist 3ft 2ins long x 2ft 10ins wide at west end and 2ft 0ins wide at east end, depth 2ft 0ins with sides formed of four large slabs - the coverstone was 1ft 0ins thick. There was no trace of a cairn or mound.
In the cist was an inhumation burial, fragments of a beaker of AC or C type, a small bronze blade (knife), fragment of worked flint, jet button 3 5/8" diameter with V shaped boring, and a small unshaped piece of chalk. (1)
Fragments of beaker, bronze blade, flint, jet button and fragment of chalk now in Blackgate Museum, Newcastle. Accession Nos 1946-9, 10, 11. (The beaker fragments are not exhibited). (2)
Dr Collingwood confirmed the site of these finds and the individual items themselves, adding that a stone axe of Dalbeatie granite was also found at the same spot in 1949.
This axe was given to the Society of Antiquaries Newcastle by Dr Collingwood in January 1949 and is now in the Black Gate Museum, Newcastle (Acc no.1949-1).
The site is upon the highest point of a pasture field with a slight slope to the north and steep slopes along the south boundary to a small stream. There is no evidence of antiquity to be seen. (3)
A short-necked beaker found together with a small copper or bronze blade and a jet button in a cist at West Lilburn. The knife is the only one from Northumberland associated with a beaker. (4)
Additional Reference (5)
N3486
EXCAVATION, Lilburn South Steads 1946; COLLINGWOOD, E F
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1955; A S Phillips
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1955; A S Phillips
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