Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

A large number of early-medieval barrows were opened up by B Fausett in the area in 1772-3 near Sibertswold/Sherperdswell. The barrows were made up of two groups, consisting of approximately 162 barrows, containing 181 graves. A number of earlier cremations identified. Faussett also opened up a smaller group on Barfriston Down. Subsequent finds from the area include glass vessels, Kentish bottle-vases, chatelaines, wooden boxes, thread boxes, spindle-whorls, shears, amethyst beads, pendants of gold and garnet jewellery. Little of these monuments now remains.

The site lies across the crest of a north facing Downland spur, between OD 95-105m.

Monument Types

• CEMETERY (Roman to Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 43 AD to 799 AD?)
• CREMATION (Roman to Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 43 AD to 799 AD)
• BARROW (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 600 AD? to 799 AD?)

Associated Finds

• BEAD (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 600 AD to 799 AD)
• BOX (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 600 AD to 799 AD)
• CHATELAINE (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 600 AD to 799 AD)
• PENDANT (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 600 AD to 799 AD)
• SHEARS (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 600 AD to 799 AD)
• SPINDLE WHORL (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 600 AD to 799 AD)
• VESSEL (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 600 AD to 799 AD)

Full description

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[Area TR 265488 - sited from plan p 134 (1)]. In 1772-3, Faussett opened 181 graves in and about 162 AS tumuli in 2 groups on Sibertswold Down, near the crossing of the Sibertswold-Sandwich and Barham Downs- Waldershare roads, about 0.5 mile from Sibertswold village. About 160 paces away, on Barfriston Down, in the former parish of Barfriston, 48 more in 45 tumuli were examined. In two cases, cremated remains of an earlier period were disturbed by the later graves. (1,2) A close examination of the area revealed no trace of burial mounds. The ground is under woodland or scrub except for a plot occupied by three bungalows. The occupier of one, Mr King (a) found some human remains some years ago in his back garden at TR 2664 4882. (3) TR 265 488 Anglo Saxon cemeteries at Barfriston Down. Finds included glass vessels, Kentish bottle-vases, chatelaines, wooden boxes, thread boxes, spindle-whorls, shears, amethyst beads, pendants of gold and garnet jewellery. (4) Additional bibliography. (5-14) centred on TR 266 487, further ring ditches, trackways and enclosures were plotted from aerial photographs, at a scale of 1:2,500. Now recorded as the RCHME: Shepherdswell Project (Event UID: 932616), the resultant plot (Collection UID: 932513) was published in part, in CBA research report 49, page 119, fig 85 (archival reference 11). (15)

AS Type 4 barrow cemetery. Incl EMC entries. 18th C: A burial mound was opened by the landowner to reveal a gilt or gold-inlaid 'spur'; 1772-3: Faussett opened 181 graves in and about 162 AS tumuli in 2/3 groups on Sibertswold Down. SIB group: 3 not richly furnished; 19 only knife, 28 nothing; many weapons. BAR group: 48 more in 45 tumuli. In 2 cases, Rom cremations disturbed by AS graves. Gr 1-171 in upper burial ground; gr 172-181 in lower. Finds included a looped gold Austrasian tremissis (gr 85) and a further looped gold coin from gr 172, both dating to c.650. Fausett saw Sibertswold & Barfreston as 2 sep cems but Meaney, Evison and Richardson count as one. The site is on a main crossroad, now mainly woodland (1999), at the meeting point of 3 parish boundaries. (16-20)

<1> Faussett B, Invent Sep 1857, 101-43 (OS Card Reference). SKE43409.

<2> Smith RA, VCH Kent 1, 1908, 349-51 (OS Card Reference). SKE49493.

<3> F1 ASP 01-MAY-64 (OS Card Reference). SKE41876.

<4> Mr King 1 Golgotha Bungalows, Golgoth, near Eythorne, Dover, Kent (OS Card Reference). SKE47396.

<5> Meaney ALS, Gaz of Early Anglo-Saxon Burial Sites, 1964, 136 (OS Card Reference). SKE46724.

<6> Jessup RF, The Archaeology of Kent, 1930, 252 (OS Card Reference). SKE45021.

<7> Harden DB, DA Britain 1956, 163, viia, 4; viib, 1; viib, 2; 164 viic, 25-26; viiib, 1-2; xb, 6 (OS Card Reference). SKE43690.

<8> Harden DB, Medieval Archaeol 22, 1978, 3, illus (OS Card Reference). SKE43691.

<9> Baldwin-Brown G,The Arts in Early England, 1915, 725-728 (OS Card Reference). SKE37458.

<10> Wilson DM, The Archaeol of Anglo-Saxon England, 1976, 264 (OS Card Reference). SKE51330.

<11> Evison VI, Wheel Thrown Pottery in AS Graves 1979, 67, 7 fig 19j; 69, 8 pl 1, 3; 72, (OS Card Reference). SKE41675.

<12> ed Maxwell GS, CBA Res Rep 49, Imp of Aerial Rec on Archaeology, 118-119 (OS Card Reference). SKE41577.

<13> Haigh DM, Archaeol Cant 8, 1872, 164 (OS Card Reference). SKE43660.

<14> Warhurst M, Sylloge of Coins of the British Isle 29, 1982, xix, pl 1 (OS Card Reference). SKE51275.

<15> Evison VI, Antiquaries Journ 43, 1963, 50, 52 (OS Card Reference). SKE41674.

<16> Field report for monument TR 24 NE 2 - May, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5644.

<17> Robert Downey/1983/RCHME: Shepherdswell Project (OS Card Reference). SKE49281.

<18> RCHME: Shepherdswell Project (Collection). SKE6504.

<19> Shepherdswell ink transcription (Miscellaneous Material). SKE6420.

<20> Shepherdswell pencil transcription (Miscellaneous Material). SKE6421.

Sources and further reading