Barrow — unclassified in Ash Hill

In pasture, immediately to N (c. 4m) of the avenue leading to Ash Hill Towers country house. A grass-covered oblong mound (14.6m N-S; 22.8m E-W) with the traces of a possible shallow fosse (Wth 1.8m; D 0.15m) NNW-ENE. The mound is highest (H 1.2m) at its centre point and is abutted by a farm trackway at NW. It would appear that when trees were planted along the N side of the avenue about 200 years ago, they were planted in an arc around the mound as if to respect its presence. In a letter to her American fiancé dated 15 March 1908, Eileen (Weldon) notes "close to the avenue, as they call it, although there are trees on only one side of the road, is a large green mound which is supposed to mark the burial place of one of the Irish chieftains and a number of his followers. It was the custom in those days to bury a dozen or so of his slaves with every chieftain. Father says he would like to explore the spot, but not a man could be found who would put a spade into the sacred earth". Compiled by: Matt Kelleher Date of upload: 30 April 2015