Monument record MYO104 - Siwards How

Summary

An Anglo Saxon burial mound, or hlaew, on Heslington Hill. It includes a large circular mound measuring 30m in diameter and up to 6m high. It is interpreted as a burial mound of the Saxon period owing to its large size.

Location

Grid reference Centred SE 6218 5086 (36m by 44m) (2 map features)
Map sheet SE65SW
Civil Parish Heslington, City of York, North Yorkshire
Unitary Authority City of York, North Yorkshire

Map

Type and Period (2)

Full Description

NMR:

SE 62195087) Mound (NR).(1)

A mound situated on Heslington Hill is shown on three late 18th/early 19th century maps as 'Mill Hill'. The mound is annotated Seward's Mount on OS 6" 1853 and Siward's How on OS 1" 1960, but this name has since been identified with Lamel Hill (see SE 65 SW 25). Ramm states that the situation and appearance of the mound on Heslington Hill sugests a barrow or, equally, the steading of a post mill, as the early name 'Mill Hill' indicates. Ramm adds that "It is of course possible that the builders of the mill utilised an existent burial mound, but there is no superficial evidence of this..." (2)

SE 622508. Siward's Howe round barrow (3). Scheduled. (4)

Prominently situated on a hill at SE 62195087 is a slightly turf, tree, and scrub covered earthen mound about 3.1m maximum height. Its periphery is not precisely defined but it measures about 44.0m north to south by 36.0m east to west and, though partly mutilated by a small quarry in the southwest edge and other small hollows, it appears to be intact. The top of the mound is flattened and about 15.0m in diameter.

Ramm (a) accepts it was used as a mill mound but there is no confirmation of it being a barrow although scheduled as such.

Note: Although the name "Siward's How" has been applied in the past to this mound it was incorrect and Ramm confirms that that name refers to Lamel Hill and not this mound.

Published Survey (1:1250) Revised. (5)


5a Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments H G Ramm RCAHM England York
1 Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date) OS 1:10000 1971
2 The Yorkshire archaeological journal 584-7 42, 1966 H G Ramm
3 A history of the county of York, East Riding. Volume 3 33 edited by K.J. Allison
4 Ancient Monuments Board for England annual report 249 1971
5 Field Investigators Comments F1 ISS 29-MAR-79
6 Scheduled Monument Notification English Heritage Schedule Entry 04/03/1997

Related Objects
F79/4/11 SIWARD'S HOWE ROUND BARROW
F79/4/12 SIWARD'S HOWE ROUND BARROW


NMR, 2019, NMR data (Digital archive). SYO2214.

Sources/Archives (1)

  • --- Digital archive: NMR. 2019. NMR data.

Protected Status/Designation

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (1)

Record last edited

Nov 11 2019 12:57PM

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