[see TR 24 SE 14 for the probable location of the barrows]

"Upon the hill, on the left side of the London road, near the lime kiln, are several tumuli, some of which were lately opened, and in each of them was found a skeleton, a sword of about three feet long and two inches broad, and the head of a spear" (Hasted 1800 pp438)

"Beautiful dream: Thomas Page, a carpenter residing at Ewell, near Dover, having dreamed there was a large sum of money buried on the hill opposite River, above the lime-kiln which belongs to Old Park and is the property of [John] Every Esq., Page applied for and obtained liberty to dig for this hidden property and set out on Monday last the 20th January with several other persons under his direction: the spot being pointed out by Page, they commenced their labour, and after being at work a short time they found a scull and a canteen which were nearly decayed, when Page directed the people to dig a little more to the right and they would find a pot, which was done, and also another with a belt and breastplate; the two vessels have the appearance of large copper boilers and are of very ancient make, they contained a quantity of old coins of gold, copper and other metals, some themn dated 117. This is supposed to be a miracle by the people residing in that neighbourhood, as Page could not have obtained any information from history, he being unable to read or write." (The Kentish Chronicle, 28 January 1817)

In 1989 a lady walking her dog discovered a human bone on Whitfield Hill. The Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit excavated the site and discovered the substantially complete skeleton of a man buried with two spears. He had been buried in about 600 AD.(1)

A careful search within Old Park Wood failed to reveal any traces of the small conical burial mounds or "barrows" which apparently existed in this area at the end of the 18th century. These could have been destroyed by the subsequent tree planting. Further human bone fragments were recovered from two up-turned tree bases above 'Woodside'. These relate to skeleton previously recorded. No grave good were recovered (1)

Anglo-Saxon Type 4? Inhumation cememetery. Pre-1800: Barrows opened on hill left of London Rd. Usually mistaken as Temple Ewell but likely to mean barrows on Old Park Hill. 1861: Hanging-bowl escutcheons from several bowls found. Pre-1915: Silver-gilt mount found. 1952: A grave was found containing 2 Pada (Pa IIB, PaIII) coins. 1989: Double inhumation excavated by KARU: one male with 2 spears & woman with button brooch & beads found. 1997: 2 graves located by Parfitt, not recorded here. The site is just inside Whitfield parish over-looking the Dour.
(1-2)

In 2012 Canterbury Archaeological Trust carried out an evaluation to the rear of Woodside Care Home. Part of an inhumation burial was exposed; indicating burials do extend to the south but are perhaps not densely arranged on this part of the site. (3)

<1> Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit, 1989, Important Saxon discovery on Whitfield Hill, Dover (Bibliographic reference). SKE7798.

<2> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1999, Former Old Park Barracks, Whitfield, Dover, Proposed Redevelopment, Archaeological Desk Study and Impact Assessment (Unpublished document). SKE7305.

<3> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2012, Report on evaluation trenching at Woodside, Whitfield Hill, Whitfield, Dover (Unpublished document). SKE18008.