Monument record 0125600000 - GALLOWS HILL, IVINGHOE

Summary

Mound of probable late prehistoric date but reused as gallows place, recorded in field survey - Bowl barrow on Gallows Hill containing possible Early Medieval inhumations. This area was used as a gun emplacement 1939-45.

Protected Status/Designation

Archaeological Notification Area: Complex of Prehistoric hillfort, barrows and other earthworks on Ivinghoe Hill (DBC9437)
Scheduled Monument 1009551: BOWL BARROW ON GALLOWS HILL 180M SOUTH-EAST OF BEACON LODGE (DBC7159)

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Type and Period (2)

MOUND (Early Neolithic to Post-Medieval - 4000 BC to 1798 AD)
GUN EMPLACEMENT (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)

Description

Dimensions - Radius 1040cm, Height 150cm.
Plan Form - Ovoid.
Mound, described as a round barrow (B5) & a gallows place (B1-3).
Described in 1912 as approx egg-shaped, with smaller end eastwards; length 37 paces, greatest breadth c.24 (B4).
In 1977, was very disturbed by concrete, piping &C; 21.7m diameter, c1.5m high (B7).
This area was used as a gun emplacement 1939-45 (B6).

A round barrow on Gallows Hill at SP 969171, listed by Dyer (who states that air photographs show 4 others, all in close proximity). Diameter 30 paces; height 4ft (B5).
(SP 96951710) Mounds visible on APs but number is uncertain (B10).
A small circular mound on Gallows Hill, in which, it is said, several human skeletons were found by workmen digging for stones or sand (B2). Listed by Meaney as 'doubtfully Saxon' (B11).
A bowl barrow at SP 96931709, upon the highest point of Gallows Hill, measuring 20.0m in diameter and with a height of 1.0m. There is a shallow central excavation crater. The barrow is under pasture, within an arable field and there are no traces of a surrounding ditch. No other barrows were found in the area. Surveyed at 1:2500. (B12).

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 (15)

---SBC17228 Aerial Photograph: 01/08/77. BCM 00/000. SP\968170. Yes.
---SBC17542 Aerial Photograph: 01/01/90. BCM A5/6. SP\967168. Yes.
<1>SBC5596 Bibliographic reference: GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE 1812 PT1 PP209-210.
<2>SBC6899 Article in serial: Rev W Hastings Kelke. 1856. 'THE DESECRATED CHURCHES OF BUCKINGHAMSHIRE - PART 4: DEANERY OF MURSLEY', IN RECS OF BUCKS 1 PP187-192. Vol 1, part 5. p190.
<3>SBC19727 Bibliographic reference: James Joseph Sheahan. 1862. History and Topography of Buckinghamshire. pp676,695.
<4>SBC5959 Unpublished document: F G Gurney. 1912. NOTES ON EATON BRAY VOLS III & IIII.
<5>SBC4465 Article in serial: James Dyer. 1959. 'BARROWS OF THE CHILTERNS', IN ARCHAEOLOGICAL JOURNAL 116 P16.
<6>SBC10055 Bibliographic reference: OLD BCM RECORD CARD (NOT RETAINED) &CN GOWING (BCM ).
<7>SBC8338 Bibliographic reference: MEF & ARP 1977(APRIL) FIELD VISIT.
<8>SBC4642 Scheduling record: English Heritage. 1992. SCHEDULING LIST OF INSPECTORATE OF ANCIENT MONUMENTS.
<9>SBC19858 Unpublished document: Angus Wainright. 1993. Correspondence with regard to human bone fragments found on Gallows Hill.
<10>SBC29360 Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 58/RAF/1342 0144-5 18.1.54.
<11>SBC20374 Bibliographic reference: A Meaney. 1964. Gazetteer of Early Anglo-Saxon Burial Sites.
<12>SBC29356 Verbal communication: A S Phillips. 1971. Field Investigator Comments - F1 ASP 25-JUN-71.
<13>SBC27441 Digital archive: Historic England. National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE). Insert 1999.

Location

Grid reference	SP 96920 17080 (point)
Civil Parish	IVINGHOE, Aylesbury Vale, Buckinghamshire

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (4)

Related Events/Activities (1)

Event - Survey: Site visit (EBC1399)

Record last edited

Mar 18 2026 3:15PM