Information for record number MWA12933:
Possible barrow/cairn and Saxon burials at Ridge House, Ratley and Upton

Summary A low knoll located on top of a ridge has been investigated, though it remains uncertain if it is entirely natural or a prehistoric barrow. Human remains of a near full skeleton and three partial skeletons have been discovered here which have been radiocarbon dated to the Middle Saxon period.
What Is It?  
Type: Barrow?, Cemetery
Period: Early Neolithic - Early medieval (4000 BC - 820 AD)
Where Is It?  
Parish: Ratley and Upton
District: Stratford on Avon, Warwickshire
Grid Reference: SP 38 48
(Data represented on this map shows the current selected record as a single point, this is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent an accurate or complete representation of archaeological sites or features)
Level of Protection National - Old SMR PrefRef (Grade: )
Sites & Monuments Record
Description

  
Source Number  

1 The skeletal material represented at least four individuals which had been buried on a low knoll at the top of the ridge. The results of studying the bones gave a wealth of information on the life of these individuals. We can determine the sex and age; a juvenile aged 10-12 years, a probable mature adult female, a young middle adult male, and a mature female adult aged 46 +. The bones showed signs of distress, deterioration, and infection. There was evidence of vitamin B12 deficiency by the Cribra orbitalia lesions as well as dental enamel hypoplasia, which is an indicator of disrupted dental development due to severe biological stress during early childhood. The juvenile exhibited numerous skeletal lesions consistent with infection and could be associated with TB, hypertrophic(pulmonary) osteoarthropathy, or a non - specific infection. These lesions were active at the time of death. The probable mature adult female suffered with chronic sinusitis, a benign tumour on the outer surface of the skull, osteoarthritis of the spine and shoulder. The young adult male had a number of developmental defects but this would not have affected the individual but had poor dental health. The mature female adult 46 + suffered with childhood stress and may have had a hormonal imbalance during her later life. This is difficult to assess as the remains for this individual were in poor condition and only partial. There were no other finds at the site of the burials. With so much surrounding evidence of Neolithic to Iron Age occupation there is sufficient evidence to support the possibility of a barrow at Ridge Hill.
 
Sources
Source No: 1
Source Type: Archaeological Report
Title: Middle Saxon Burials at Ridge House, Camp Lane, Ratley and Upton, Warwickshire
Author/originator: Palmer S C
Date: 2011
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 1105
   
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Glossary

 
Word or Phrase
Description  
period Prehistoric About 500,000 BC to 42 AD

The Prehistoric period covers all the periods from the Palaeolithic to the end of the Iron Age.
This is a time when people did not write anything down so there is no documentary evidence for archaeologists to look at. Instead, the archaeologists look at the material culture belonging to the people and the places where they lived for clues about their way of life.

The Prehistoric period is divided into the Early Prehistoric and Later Prehistoric.
The Early Prehistoric period covers the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic periods.
The Later Prehistoric period covers Neolithic, Bronze Age and Iron Age times.
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period Neolithic About 4000 BC to 2351 BC

The word ‘Neolithic’ means ‘New Stone Age’. Archaeologists split up the Neolithic period into three phases; early, middle and late. The Neolithic period comes after the Mesolithic period and before the Bronze Age.

People in the Neolithic period hunted and gathered food as their ancestors had but they were also began to farm. They kept animals and grew crops. This meant that they were able to settle more permanently in one location instead of constantly moving from place to place to look for food.
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period Iron Age About 800 BC to 43 AD

The Iron Age comes after the Bronze Age and before the Roman period. It is a time when people developed the skills and knowledge to work and use iron, hence the name ‘Iron Age’ which is given to this period. Iron is a much tougher and more durable metal than bronze but it also requires more skill to make objects from it. People continued to use bronze during this period.
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period Medieval 1066 AD to 1539 AD (the 11th century AD to the 16th century AD)

The medieval period comes after the Saxon period and before the post medieval period.

The Medieval period begins in 1066 AD.
This was the year that the Normans, led by William the Conqueror (1066 – 1087), invaded England and defeated Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings in East Sussex.
The Medieval period includes the first half of the Tudor period (1485 – 1603 AD), when the Tudor family reigned in England and eventually in Scotland too.

The end of the Medieval period is marked by Henry VIII’s (1509 – 1547) order for the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the years running up to 1539 AD. The whole of this period is sometimes called the Middle Ages.
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monument BARROW * Artificial mound of earth, turf and/or stone, normally constructed to contain or conceal burials. Use specific type where known. back
monument HOUSE * A building for human habitation, especially a dwelling place. Use more specific type where known. back
monument SITE * Unclassifiable site with minimal information. Specify site type wherever possible. back
monument WELL * A shaft or pit dug in the ground over a supply of spring-water. back
monument CEMETERY * An area of ground, set apart for the burial of the dead. back
monument BURIAL * An interment of human or animal remains. Use specific type where known. If component use with wider site type. Use FUNERARY SITE for optimum retrieval in searches. back
monument HUMAN REMAINS * The unarticulated remains of the body of a human being. If articulated use inhumation. back
monument SIGN * A board, wall painting or other structure displaying advice, giving information or directions back

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record