Barrows with marked stones
Information from the Excavated Bronze Age Burial Mounds on the North York Moors
+photocopies

Mount Pleasant, Upsall. (NZ 5582 1654)  A 25m Dia. Barrow, Excavated in 1949-52+ 1959
This large barrow contained one or possibly two circular internal walls (gap to SW), plus a cist. A large stone with cup and ring marks on the underside, covered the remains of a beaker.

Eston Hills? Eston. (NZ 5690 1803) 11m Dia. (dug 1843) 
This barrow contained a burial deposit in a collared urn (NW style form iii) which was covered by a large stone decorated with a pecked linear and triangular pattern. (A replica of this stone is in the Dorman Museum.)

Eston Knab, Eston. (NZ 574 184) 6.0m dia. Excavated in 1970
This small barrow/cairn covered a rock cut grave. A cup marked stone, a saddle quern, and worked flints were found in the upper stony layer of the mound.  

Tees Arch list Eston Nab NZ5670 1823 NZ5685 1822  Eston Moor NZ5600 1700x4 NZ5690 1820 NZ5630 1720

Kemplah Top, Guisbrough.  (NZ 6075 1413) 9.7m Dia. Excavated in 1921.
This kerbed cairn covered a cist with a single cup mark on the southern slab. Three cup marks were also found on the cist capstone which had been removed during previous disturbance of the mound. The remains of a Handled beaker were found near the cist. A paving of "greenstones" underlay the cairn and also filled a ditch around the cairn.  

Errington Wood, Upleatham. (NZ 6212 1999)
19 cup marks on stone in the ESE part of of the barrow kerb  and a large slab of stone with cup marks on the east side of the mound (possible cist cover?)

Airy Hill, Skelton.  (NZ 6443 1675) 12m Dia.
A Cup marked stone (possibly part of a kerb) found on the south side of  a low barrow.

Dimmingdale, Moorsholm. (NZ 6910 1199) 24m Dia. Possibly dug in 1863.
 A large ovoid mound associated with several large stones, including one earthfast boulder with a linear arrangement of 30 cup marks. This stone was removed after 1975 and its location is not known.  

Street Houses, Loftus. (NZ 7365 1962)  15m Dia. Excavated 1979-81
This kerbed barrow overlay part of a Neolithic long cairn. Three of the kerb stones bore cupmarks while a fourth had an oval pit with a runnel leading to the edge of the stone. Four collared urns and an accessory cup were found within the mound. Spindle whorl, worked flints and  jet buttons.

Boulby,  Easington. (NZ 7564 1895) 12m Dia. Excavated 1913/14.
This kerbed barrow covered a cremation burial in an inverted collared urn which was surrounded by a ring of small greenstones at the mound centre. Two cup marked stones were found in the mound material.

Whinny hill, Lythe. (NZ 8329 1450). 6.4m Dia. Excavated  1876?
This barrow covered a cist burial and a stone lined grave. A stone (240x 230x 145mm) with 3 cup marks was found in the mound material. A food vessel, along with some jet pieces and  a large water rolled pebble.

Newton Mulgrave. (possibly NZ 7712 1380) 26m dia (dug in 1852-53)
This large barrow covered circular walls or kerbs and "a variety of curious figured stones" were found within the inner circle. Another "curiously marked stone" covered a plot of bones on the north side of the mound. Two other burials were found, plus Two food vessels.

Barnby Howes, Barnby. (NZ 8302 1381) 5m Dia. Excavated 1951
This kerbed barrow covered a robbed out cremation burial.  A cup marked stone was located in the southern section of the kerb, which also had a gap towards the S-E.

Butter Howe, Barnby. (NZ 8273 1513) 7m Dia. Excavated 1918?  
This barrow contained a paved area of broken sandstone slabs, on the under side of which were many ripple marks. A cremation deposit and Anglian pottery were also found. The excavators thought this mound may  have been a gallows site.

Hinderwell Beacon, Hinderwell. (NZ 7933 1780) Excavated 1915+1919.
This large barrow contained an internal wall/kerb which surrounded 7 cremation burials with food vessels. Nearly 300 marked  stones were found above and around the burials, some cup marked others with grinding /polishing marks. One was described as a "sinker" either for fishing nets or as an anchor weight. (see also Rudda howe)

Swarth Howe (Penny Howe), Aislaby. (NZ 8430 0891) 25m dia (Dug in 1852).
 This large kerbed barrow covered a rectangular arrangement of walling and a cist, along with cremation and inhumation burials. A food vessel type urn, accessory cup, jet rings and worked flint were also found. This barrow, along with two others nearby, formed an east-west alignment, connected by a line of large stones. Some of these stones bore markings which resembled those on a stone from with in the mound (a cup marked cist slab, - Spratt).

water worn pebble were also found in the cist.

Aislaby barrow dug by kendal  NZ 8456 0888   S. Feathers cup marked stones may have come from here? maybe took them home ?

knox p197 mention wheatcroft tumulus opened 1836 see YAJ

Peak, Staintondale, (NZ 9807 0147) 3.6m (dug in 1852).
This kerbed barrow covered two cists paved with pebbles. An inverted urn was found alongside one of the cists at the mound centre. This cist had a side slab carved with 3 concentric rings and a star in the centre.

  "hereabouts Mr. Marshall also found another stone marked with a circle, crossed by a horizontal and perpendicular line. And subsequent to 1852, the same gentleman found in that vicinity another particular stone, marked with 4 of the same kind of hieroglyhics, differing only as follows; viz., one  consisting of four concentric circles with a dot in the centre - one of  three circles and dot in the centre - one with two circles and dot in the middle ,and one of only one circle and centre dot."

air photo shows a 19m circle at9805 0147 + smaller one at 9807 0147

Notes
knox p183 a little distance southwards from raven hall in the vicinity of Burnt Howe (about two furlongs) was a circular mound/banking 195ft in circumference and 7ft wide and 6in high. 14 ft to east was small tumulus this in 30 acre enclosure where the base of 32 barrows were uncovered when the land was ploughed many had large stones in the centre or around the edge  from 6-11ft long which could have stood upright as shown by the weathered upper parts.

p197  4 yds 3.6m dia within its circle of low kerbstones contained a stone lined grave plus in the centre of the mound was an inverted urn over a cist. Pebbles paved the grave and cist (water worn ? symbol of ?)

on a side slab of this kist was carved 3 concentric circles with a star in the centre.

p201 mr marshall also found buried near the circle/bank, a large block of blue granite (perhaps whinstone or sea shore boulder) having a surface area of about a yard, with a saucer like cavity cut in it (not worn) six inches wide.

Raven Hill Tumulus, Staintondale. (possibly NZ 9808 0121) 12m Dia (dug in august  1849).
This barrow covered an internal wall/kerb and 3 collared urns.  Two cup marked stones (5 and 2 cup marks) were found near one of the urns. A stone with a spear shaped cavity and marked with 4 lines in  a double "V" pattern (chevron?) was located near another urn. Two more marked stones were also found one with an oval depression on one side and a cup mark on the other.

notes
In his 1849 report Tissiman states that he returned to the mound "being desirous to turn the whole of it over." however he does not mention finding a cist. In a letter written in 1851 regarding the cup and ring marked stones from Cloughton moor cairn circle Tissiman also includes a drawing of the "Raven Hill vault stone". he adds that the vault (cist) was still intact and he intended to excavate it in the spring of 1852. Tissiman does not indicate that the vault stone came from the barrow he dug in 1849, so there is the possibility that in 1851 he started to dig another one of the barrows on Raven Hill.

Mr Marshall was at Raven Hall during summer of 1852.  did marshall dig the remains of  Raven hill mound ?Other wise there were two mounds in the same area with kist side slabs carved with 3 concentric rings.

Rudda Howe, Staintondale. (SE 977 997 -2 barrows in field) 13m Dia (Dug in 1850)
This barrow/cairn contained a cremation deposit and two collared urns. At the base of the mound were 2 roughly shaped stones ( approx 30cm long) with deep encircling grooves and these were thought to be anchor weights. ( See also Hinderwell Beacon.)

Byland with Wass. (SE 5429 8056) 20m Dia. (Excavated in 1869)
The mound material of a barrow/cairn contained over 20 cup marked stones, some  with up to 6 cup marks and some with connecting channels between the cups. Also one stone had two grooves forming a cross.

Byland with Wass. (SE 5432 8064)  15.5.m Dia (Excavated in  1869)
The mound material of a kerbed barrow contained a small stone with 2 cup marks, one on each face. More recently a cup mark was noted on a stone filling the cavity left by the excavation.

Lingmoor farm, Hutton Le Hole. (SE 713 883) 12m Dia. Excavated in 1969-70
This kerbed barrow/cairn covered 3 cremation pits. Two of the kerbstones had a single cup mark on them. Two more stones, each with a pecked surface and a single cup mark, were found near the pits. A stone axe and worked flint were also found.

Appleton Common, Appleton Le Moors. (SE 7256 8604) 30m Dia. Excavated 1946-50
This large barrow contained an internal kerb with a gap to the ESE. A "doubtful" cup and ring mark was found on one kerb stone and "doubtful" cup marks were noted on 2 other stones in the kerb.

Blandsby Park, Pickering. (SE 8141 8652) 7m Dia. Excavated in 1961
This ploughed down barrow contained a number of burials in a central hollow. A small stone with a single cup mark was also found in the hollow.  Another small stone with two cup marks was found on the barrow surface. Fragments of corded beaker and collared urns were also found.

4mile NE of Pickering.  7m Dia.  (dug in  the 1851).
This sandy barrow contained an urn and cremation deposits. Also found at the  top of the mound was a small rectangular sandstone (8"x 6") with a circular cavity in the middle of each side "....the use of which we are not able to determine , although several of the same kind have been found in the barrows"

  more in bateman/ruddock?

Hutton Buscel. (SE 959 872) 16m Dia. Excavated in 1965.
This kerbed barrow contained a cairn over an inhumation. Several of the kerb stones had cup marks, grooves and lines. One stone also had an anthropomorphic carving, while another had a design "closely related to Boyne culture art" ( megalithic art style?) Two urns and 2  food vessels were also found in the mound.
more detail in book? SM

Way Hagg, West Ayton. (SE 9657 8840) 12m Dia (dug in the 1848 Tissiman)
This barrow contained an accessory cup and a large collared cremation urn which stood on two large stones. Located near this urn were 3 cup marked stones (one had an oval depression and 3 cup marks. another had 4 cup marks another had 13 cup marks and 3 parallel lines on the edge of the stone.) and another stone, with five cup marks on its side, stood nearby.  
Scarborough museum?

11 miles east of Pickering - Scamridge Area (Scamridge only 7 miles) (dug in 1851 Ruddock) 
A deep grave pit on the site of a ploughed out barrow contained a skeleton with bronze dagger, plus  a collection of objects including a flat piece of sandstone (190mm long) with one face "...divided into a number of small squares, as a draught board".  A fusiform stone object, 100mm long x 50mm dia. with encircling pecked lines. Two stone balls 35mm + 45mm dia.  

Sheffield museum?

Pennock puzzle stone?

Irton Moor. (TA 005 876) 14m Dia. Excavated in 1973
This double kerbed cairn covered a cremation deposit and sherds from a food vessel urn, a cup marked stone was also found in the cairn. (This bronze age cairn overlay an earlier neolithic site which consisted of a central pit (1m deep - probably to hold a post) surrounded by 2 concentric ditches. Cremated bone, neolithic pottery, and a leaf shaped arrowhead  were also found.) 2 ditches - two kerbs ? continuity? SM?

Irton Moor. (TA 007 875)   Over 16m Dia.  Excavated in 1973
This barrow covered 3 kerbs, with a cup marked stone in the outer kerb. The central grave had been robbed. Food vessel sherds + worked flint were also found.  SM?

Seamer moor. (TA 0194  8618) 18m Dia. Excavated in 1934+1966.
This barrow/cairn covered cremation deposits and an inhumation. The mound material contained a carved and grooved stone, plus long necked beaker sherds and flints. SM?

mention jet?

YORKSHIRE ARCHAEOLOGICAL JOURNALS
Vol 21 
p111 - Barrow at Scarborough college (TA 0460 8645) contained 3 kist burials, one had a cover with "a few cupmarks upon it", while another stone found nearby had "numerous cup marks".

Vol 24 
p263 - Barrow on Howe hill (NZ 695 189) near Brotton contained a cairn over two graves (one with a tree trunk coffin), 24 cup marked stones were found in the cairn material above the graves, most stones had a single cup mark which generally faced downwards in the cairn. A cup and ring marked slab (0.5m x 0.25m approx, with twenty cup marks and 5 cup-ring marks) was also found on the original land surface midway between the two graves, the marked surface was face down.(1917)

Vol 25
p48 - Excavations of 8 barrows (2 with kerbs) at Boulby. (1918)
Barrow at NZ 7495 1941 contained a cremation and a burial with "several cupstones" plus line of 4 stones set on edge.
Barrow at NZ 7495 1915 contained a cremation above which lay a slab (0.5m x 0.25m approx) "with peculiar markings on its underside"
Barrow at NZ 7515 9120 contained a rectangular pavement (1.5m x 0.9m approx) of stone slabs, one of which had "pittings on one side and a deep groove at the other end".
Barrow at NZ7538 1918 contained a cist and a cremation and associated with this was a boulder with a series of 12 parallel grooves down one side. (+cup marks ?)
Barrow 1mile NW of goldsborough (possibly Butter howe NZ 8273 1512) contained a rectangular pavement (1.7m x 1m approx) of stone slabs on the under side of which were many ripple markings.
ship stone from hinderwell

Vol 25 
P448 - Excavations at Hinderwell Beacon
Barrow "slightly north-east of the Beacon" contained a grave, part of a food vessel and "a cupstone diameter 3.5inches".
Hinderwell Beacon barrow (kerbed) NZ 7932 1780 contained 7 cremations and nearly 300 marked stones found above and around the burials. These included stones with cup marks, channels and inscribed lines plus stones used for polishing grinding. Also a stone described as a "sinker" ie used as an anchor weight. A selection of the marked stones went to the Dorman Museum.

Vol 33
 p120 - Description of a cup and ring marked stone on Stoupe Brow moor, Found by Hugh Kendall (1936-37)

Vol 35 
p65 - Description of a cup and ring marked stone found in a drystone wall (NZ 8608 0903) at Galley Hill, Aislaby. Stone now in the Pannett Park Museum, Whitby. (1940-43)

Vol 39 
p9 - Barrow at Barnby howe NZ 830 138 contained a cup marked stone in the southern side of kerb.(1956-58)

Vol41 
p163 "Baysdale 632068 Cup marked stone  Flat stone in the moor marked with 2 deep cups and incised lines forming an intricate pattern. Photgraphed by R.Close"  
  Plus flints found at 631067 yaj47  flint 624065 arrowhead 632066  scraper 629074
  "Baysdale 632068 Cup and ring stones reported in YAJ 41 p163 (1964) these markings are now obscured, drawings are deposited in the library of the society. RS Close"
p171 kildale park dyke 
p557 fylingdales list

Vol42
p3 11 more from fylingdaels 
p250  kirkmoor s/c
p387Aislaby two cup rocks 850 088
p391hutton le hole 2cr in kerb -lingmoor 713883 +2cr over burial

Vol43 
p33 mount pleasant cr over beaker burial
p191 baysdale stone now obscured
p193 wilton ?nz574 184  cup stone 1 cup from barrow

Vol46 
p141Eston hills 4 cup stones +1cr stone from wall to dorman 569182
p143 Upleatham 624202 cups on kerbstone

Vol48 
p2 Moorsholm Ploughed barrow 69111200 30 cups on stone remained 1976 (tees list 6862 1192)
689136 single cup on 5inch round stone found vol 41 p172?

Vol49
 p4 Thimbleby moor 470944 13 cups on boulder etc see pc    nym list 460960 cup marks on boulder

Vol50 
p31 Lingmoor 3 barrows 713883  5 single cups on stones + 1 "phallic" marking
 7 small stone with one cup each?

p?gt ayton hut circle cup and ring

Vol52 
p18 near moor 475000 two weathered cup and ring stones

Vol58 
p159 1 cup marked stone  from loftus barrow 739189

Vol63 
p7  7 cupstones single cup on each from eston hills barrow 1988 vyner?

Scarborough Journal

v2/9 p45 18 stones to sm from hutton bushel moor closes barrow  brewster dig

v1/8 p36 kildale park dyke 613085

p40 baysdale 632068 same as yaj

v15 p39 allantofts 3 cup and rings 82950273,82930301,83170283 hayes and hollings 1939 relocated by smith

p40 Cup stone found on site of hutton bushel barrow 949890 by d smith to sm 17x14x9cm iregular limestone block 2 cup shaped hollows

  v17p22 battersby moor 607067 rock basin stanhope white

v18p33 moorsholm moor dimmingdale 6911 1200 ploughed barrow on east side one kerb stone remained 1mlong by 0.5m high eroded on top  but 30+ cups on west side.