Monument record BUC 006 - Seven Hills Round Barrows

Round Barrow (remains of) - part of Seven Hills (see also BUC 007, FXL 011, NAC 004-013).
1931: 'In a garden of Bucklesham parish, one has its S edge cut away by the road; it is considerably mutilated, is but three feet high, and some seventy paces in circumference, excavated to beyond it centre on the N side, and bearing a holly.' (S1).
1962: Much mutilated mound, now of irregular shape due to burrowing and to digging away of the soil. Diameter 15m E-W x 10m transversely. Height 0.7m. Within private woodland (S2).
1976: One of approximately 13 mounds. Very disturbed, height circa 0.79m, diameter 7.5m NE-SW, 14m SE-NW. Tree covered.
1981: Tree covered (S5).
1986: Under conifers, with bracken, some trees felled. Long axis NW-SE. Profile spread and uneven. SW edge clipped by fence outside which is a fragment of old yew hedge, outside which in turn, is a silted ditch. Barrow is cut by this boundary (hence irregular dimensions). Vegetation made it impossible to tell if mound extends beyond ditch onto verge. Some animal holes (S5).
1993: `Visible as an irregular earthen mound, truncated on the S-W side by a ditch bordering the verge of the road (A1156). Approximately 70% of the original mound survives, standing to a height of 0.8m and covering a semi- circular area measuring circa 15m S-E to N-W and 10m N-E to S-W'. Scheduled area redefined in November 1993 (S5).
The group was first recorded in 1764 (R1) and were opened in 1764. `Ashes were found in some. One disclosed pieces of apparently human bone' (S3). The Ipswich Scientific Society are said to have opened 'a large mound near Orwell station some years ago' but published nothing on the subject (S1). '"The Seven Hills" at Nacton ... Many have been levelled, but many are visible; all I believe have been opened more or less: one on my son's heath had been partially opened, but when men searching for stones dug deep about 30 years ago (when Mr Barry had the farm), a great many large handsome urns were discovered, in which were half burnt bones. They were very tender, and if the workmen had endeavoured to get them out whole, very few (of I think 15 or 16) could have been preserved. The 2 best were sent to Ickworth by Mr Barry.' Letter from Arthur Biddell, Esq, of Playford 15.10.1857 (S4).
In Nacton parish following boundary change.