Shrewsbury Barrow facts for kids
The Shrewsbury Barrow is an ancient Bronze Age burial mound. You can find it in Shooter's Hill in South East London. This special mound is located in the Royal Borough of Greenwich. It is also a protected historical site, which means it's very important and kept safe.
A Look Back in Time
The Shrewsbury Barrow gets its name from the 15th Earl of Shrewsbury. He built a large house nearby called Shrewsbury House in 1789. That old house was later taken down. A new building with the same name was built in 1923. The barrow is also right next to Shrewsbury Park.
This barrow is the only one left from a group of six similar mounds. The other mounds were destroyed when the area was developed in the 1930s. These burial mounds were at the top of the hill. They would have been easy to see from far away, standing out against the sky.
A man named Col AH Bagnold wrote about these lost mounds. He described them in a local church magazine. Shrewsbury Barrow is listed as "No 1" in his notes. A famous politician, Douglas Jay, lived near the barrow when he was a child. He remembered playing on the mound. Bagnold hoped that one mound, "No 6", would be safe. Sadly, most of the mounds were destroyed or dug up. This means any interesting items from long ago were lost. Luckily, Shrewsbury Barrow (No 1) was not opened.
Where to Find It
The Shrewsbury Barrow is located at the corners of Brinklow Crescent and Plum Lane. It is about 25 meters (82 feet) wide. It stands about 1.5 meters (5 feet) high.
Other Nearby Mounds
There were other burial mounds close by. A few still remain today. One is on Winn's Common, which was "No 7" in Bagnold's list. Another damaged mound can be found in Lesnes Abbey Woods.
