Chapel Hill, Balladoole Burial Cist
Period: Bronze Age
NGR Easting: 224653
NGR Northing: 468189
Description: A stone-lined cist orientated NW-SE lies near the northern edge of the hilltop. It is exposed at the surface, but sunk 0.1m below ground level, and there is no trace of either a capstone or mound. The cist measures 0.6 by 0.4m internally, and the lining slabs are 0.4m high and 0.1m thick. Fragmentary remains of human bone were found within the cist, which was evidently disturbed in antiquity and had an upper fill consisting of later occupation debris.
Two deposits of cremated human bone were found just a metre from the cist, one to the north and the other to the SE. The former made use of a fissure in the underlying bedrock, and also included the burnt remains of a bone pin.
The excavator suggested that all three features were once protected by an overlying mound, and remarked that the cremations were probably secondary to the cist, but that it could not be ascertained how much later they were added.
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Site & Monument Type: burial cist
Category: National Monuments Record: Statutory Ancient Monuments
Site ID number: 0001.50