Monument record 0564900000 - MOLINS WORKS, SAUNDERTON

Summary

Group of six to eight Neolithic to Bronze Age barrows recorded in field survey, early excavation and in aerial photographs

Protected Status/Designation

  • Archaeological Notification Area: Cropmarks of Prehistoric barrow cemetery (DBC9207)
  • Scheduled Monument 1013952: TWO BOWL BARROWS 450M NORTH WEST OF SLOUGH GLEBE FARM, PART OF THE SAUNDERTON LEE BARROW CEMETERY (DBC7181)
  • Scheduled Monument 1013954: BOWL BARROW 140M WNW OF SLOUGH GLEBE FARM, PART OF THE SAUNDERTON LEE ROUND BARROW CEMETERY (DBC7153)
  • Scheduled Monument 1013955: BOWL BARROW AT MOLIN'S WORKS, PART OF THE SAUNDERTON LEE ROUND BARROW CEMETERY (DBC7160)
  • Scheduled Monument 27120: BELL BARROW 260M WNW OF SLOUGH GLEBE FARM, PART OF THE SAUNDERTON LEE BARROW CEMETERY (DBC7204)
  • SHINE: Saunderton series of Neolithic to Bronze Age barrow cropmarks (DBC7545)

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Type and Period (2)

  • BARROW CEMETERY (Late Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 701 BC)
  • ROUND BARROW (Late Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 701 BC)

Description

Plan Form - CURVILINEAR
GROUP OF ROUND BARROWS N & S OF MOLINS WORKS. 1 STILL EARTHWORK, 1 LOST/ BUILT OVER & 4 VISIBLE AS CROPMARKS. INDIVIDUALLY NUMBERED AS CASS 00009, 00010, 00118, 00119, 00480, 00481. COMPREHENSIVE AP FILE REFERS TO ALL BARROWS (B1-4).
PLOT AT 1:2500 (B3).
Watching brief carried out by TVAS in October 2007 during geotechnical test-pitting failed to identify any archaeological remains. See report for detail (B7).
Trial trenching carried out by Wessex Archaeology in June 2009 in advance of proposed redevelopment of Mollins works failed to identified any archaeological remains. See report for detail (B8).



(E: SU 8073 9864) Tumulus (CAS00010) (D: SU 8073 9876) Tumulus (CAS00009) (B13).
"Two round barrows" opened in 1858 without results ( CAS 00009 and 00010, D and E); ring ditch of a larger barrow now destroyed, west of Slough Farm, Saunderton Lee" (C: SU 8061 9883. Seen by Mr J F Head. A curving line passing between barrows (C) (D) is probably a prehistoric palisade (B4).
Possible bell barrow at SU 806 988 (C) and a ploughed out barrow, south of Molines factory, SU 808 984 (F) at Saunderton. Barrow north of Molines factory SU 805 989 (CAS00481 - B) (B14).
Barrow at (SU 8053 9894) probably, (B) and a possible barrow (A: SU 8046 9900) (B15).
Barrow (CAS00118 -C) visited by J Evans (Field Arch. Bucks County Museum) in April 1970; ring ditch seen as dark loamy mark slightly concave in places. There is so little distinction between "berm" and ground outside ditch that a bell barrow seems likely, dia. c. 54m. Barrow (D) now ploughed out (B6).
All that remains of 'A' (CAS00480) on a W-facing slope recently ploughed, is a dark soil mark, measuring about 40.0m in diameter, with traces of a ring of chalky soil around the N and W arcs. Similar to 'C': possible ditch of a barrow.
'B' CAS00481 is a surface quarry, now ploughed.
'C' CAS00118 As described by Authy 5; under the plough.
'D' CAS00009 A ploughed-down barrow c 36.0m in diameter and 0.5m high with slight traces of a ditch visible as a ring of darker soil on the N arc.
'E' CAS00010 No trace. Site under turf within factory precincts.
'F' No trace. Site occupied by factory roads and buildings.
No trace of the supposed "prehistoric palisate". A and C surveyed at 1:2500; published survey 'D' (25") revised (B16).
Traces of three of the probable Bronze Age round barrows described by the previous authorities are visible as soilmarks on aerial photographs taken in March 2007 by English Heritage. Two of the barrows are visible as plough-levelled ring ditches (probably barrows A and C described above) centred at SP 8046 9899 (A) and SP 8060 9881 ©. Barrow C appears to have some mound material still surviving, and has a large central pit/excavation. Traces of a pale spread of material corresponding to the location of barrow (B) described above could also be seen centred at SP 8051 9895 (B17).

This record includes National Record of the Historic Environment Information provided by Historic England on 4 June 2025 licensed under the Open Government Licence.

Sources (50)

  • ---SBC17208 Aerial Photograph: Major Allen. 1937. Major Allen oblique AP. SU808989. Yes. Yes.
  • ---SBC17214 Aerial Photograph: 29/05/37. AMO 7/6. SU\806987. Yes. Yes.
  • ---SBC17260 Aerial Photograph: 01/07/75. BCM A1/3. SU\805989. Yes. Yes.
  • ---SBC17269 Aerial Photograph: 01/07/75. BCM A1/3/8A. SU\805989. Yes. Yes.
  • ---SBC17310 Aerial Photograph: 01/04/76. BCM A1/8/29. SU\806988. Yes. Yes.
  • ---SBC17311 Aerial Photograph: 01/04/76. BCM A1/8/30. SU\805989. Yes. Yes.
  • ---SBC17434 Aerial Photograph: 01/08/77. BCM A2/26/2A. SU\808987. Yes. Yes.
  • ---SBC17436 Aerial Photograph: 01/08/77. BCM A2/26/3A. SU\807989. Yes. Yes.
  • ---SBC17437 Aerial Photograph: 01/08/77. BCM A2/26/4A. SU\807989. Yes. Yes.
  • ---SBC17438 Aerial Photograph: 01/08/77. BCM A2/26/5A. SU\807987. Yes. Yes.
  • ---SBC17538 Aerial Photograph: 14/03/81. BCM A5/15/4A. SU\804989. Yes. Yes.
  • ---SBC17540 Aerial Photograph: 14/03/81. BCM A5/15/5A-6A. SU\805988. Yes. Yes.
  • ---SBC17559 Aerial Photograph: 01/03/73. BCM SU8098/1. SU\806988. Yes. Yes.
  • ---SBC17560 Aerial Photograph: 01/03/73. BCM SU8098/2. SU\807988. Yes. Yes.
  • ---SBC17579 Aerial Photograph: BKS Surveys Ltd. 13/07/71. BKS 407.158869. SU\807987. Yes. Yes.
  • ---SBC17580 Aerial Photograph: 13/07/71. BKS 407.158870. SU\807994. Yes. Yes.
  • ---SBC17581 Aerial Photograph: 13/07/71. BKS 407.158871. SU\806999. Yes. Yes.
  • ---SBC17659 Aerial Photograph: 13/04/61. CUC ACT 33. \.
  • ---SBC17660 Aerial Photograph: 13/04/61. CUC ACT 34. SU\805987. Yes. Yes.
  • ---SBC17720 Aerial Photograph: 26/04/67. CUC ARA 44. \.
  • ---SBC17724 Aerial Photograph: 11/07/67. CUC AST 41. \.
  • ---SBC17726 Aerial Photograph: 11/07/67. CUC AST 42. \.
  • ---SBC17727 Aerial Photograph: 08/04/68. CUC ATW 4. \.
  • ---SBC17728 Aerial Photograph: 08/04/68. CUC ATW 5. \.
  • ---SBC17766 Aerial Photograph: 02/05/73. CUC BMH 84. \.
  • ---SBC17768 Aerial Photograph: 02/05/73. CUC BMH 85. \.
  • ---SBC17777 Aerial Photograph: 13/12/74. CUC BRW 1. \.
  • ---SBC17779 Aerial Photograph: 13/12/74. CUC BRW 2. \.
  • ---SBC17780 Aerial Photograph: 13/12/74. CUC BRW 3. SU\805988. Yes. Yes.
  • ---SBC17781 Aerial Photograph: 13/12/74. CUC BRW 4. \.
  • ---SBC17782 Aerial Photograph: 13/12/74. CUC BRW 5. \.
  • ---SBC17842 Aerial Photograph: 21/06/49. CUC CN 34. \.
  • ---SBC19383 Aerial Photograph: Cambridge Committee for Aerial Photography. 1985. Cambridge Vertical Ap 1985. SU79889879. Yes.
  • <1>SBC11137 Bibliographic reference: OS RECORD CARD SU 89 NW 09 (FILED).
  • <2>SBC5487 Bibliographic reference: G E SCRIMGEOUR MARCH 1988 FROM AP1-34, & CASS FIL ES 00009, 00010, 00118, 00119, 00480, 00481..
  • <3>SBC3491 Graphic material: Denise Allen (BCM). 1979?. AP PLOT AT 1:2500 OF 4 NORTHERN BARROWS (PAPER STRIP METHOD)(FILED).
  • <4>SBC6246 Bibliographic reference: J F Head. 1955. Early Man in South Buckinghamshire. pp48 (Fig 9),49,53; Fig 14.
  • <5>SBC11135 Unpublished document: Ordnance Survey Field Investigator. OS RECORD CARD SU 89 NW 07.
  • <6>SBC1223 Unpublished document: Buckinghamshire County Museum. BCM ACCESSIONS REGISTER..
  • <7>SBC23493 Unpublished document: Thames Valley Archaeological Services. 2007. Molins, Haw Lane, Saunderton: Archaeological Watching Brief.
  • <8>SBC23489 Unpublished document: Wessex Archaeology. 2009. E-Shelter, Saunderton: Report on an Archaeological Field Evaluation.
  • <9>SBC27831 Verbal communication: N K Blood. 1972. Field Investigators Comments - F2 NKB 18-OCT-72.
  • <10>SBC27441 Digital archive: Historic England. National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE).
  • <11>SBC28453 Verbal communication: Fiona Small (Historic England Air Photo Interpreter). 2015. Information from 2010 Historic England aerial photograph.
  • <12>SBC27441 Digital archive: Historic England. National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE). Insert 1997; Update 1998, 2004, 2009, 2011.
  • <13>SBC27454 Map: Ordnance Survey. 1960. Ordnance Survey Map (6" /1960). Map.
  • <14>SBC4451 Article in serial: James Dyer. 1959. 'Barrows of the Chilterns', in Archaeological Jounal 116 pp1-24. Vol 116.
  • <15>SBC17718 Aerial Photograph: 26/04/67. CUC ARA 43. SU\806988. Yes. Yes.
  • <16>SBC27838 Verbal communication: N K Blood. 1972. Field Investigators Comments - F1 NKB 19-OCT-72.
  • <17>SBC29670 Aerial Photograph: NMR. 2007. NMR 24564/31 16 March 2007.

Location

Grid reference Centred SU 8063 9859 (637m by 1221m)
Civil Parish BLEDLOW-CUM-SAUNDERTON, Wycombe, Buckinghamshire

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (11)

Related Events/Activities (3)

  • Event - Survey: EH Aerial Reconnaissance (South): 2006-7 (EBC18840)
  • Event - Intervention: Trial trenching (Ref: 71960) (EBC17205)
  • Event - Intervention: Watching brief during test pitting (Ref: HLS 07/127) (EBC17206)

Record last edited

Sep 10 2026 11:07AM

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