A Theory on the Etymology of Graven Hill (Bicester, Oxfordshire)

Graven Hill is arguably difficult to miss.

This imposing hill, situated on the outskirts of the market town of Bicester, Oxfordshire, overlooking mostly flat agricultural land, has been the subject of various archaeological investigations over the years. 

Amongst the findings made by Oxford Archaeology - who excavated the site in 2015 and 2016 - were:

• A fragment of a Neolithic polished flint axehead. 
• Various ditches and pits, dating back to the late Iron Age.
• Earthworks and pottery fragments dating back to the 2nd century, providing evidence of Roman occupation.
• Part of 'Akeman Street' - an ancient highway, comprising of a track bordered on both sides by hedges.
• Evidence of medieval activity.
• Evidence of military activity (corresponding to the site's use as an Ministry of Defence base from the time of the Second World War).
• An unidentified 'arrowhead' earthwork.

According to local legend, the hill earned its name due to being the site of a mass grave, possibly following a battle, such as the one which reputedly took place there between the Saxons and Danes in 871 AD; however, during the course of multiple extensive archaeological excavations throughout the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, not a single skeleton has been unearthed!

How, then, did the hill come to be called 'Graven Hill'? Well, I have a theory which may just explain it...

Let us consider the etymology of 'graven'; it is derived from the Old English word 'grafen', meaning 'to dig/carve'. Graven Hill was recorded as 'Gravenhull' and 'Gravehull' during the 15th and 16th centuries, and whilst we cannot rule out the possibility that 'hull' may have simply been an alternative spelling of 'hill', the word 'hull' may also mean 'seed-covering'. Thanks to the aforementioned excavations, evidence of agricultural activity (in the form of Roman and medieval field systems and drainage ditches, etc.) have been discovered. With this in mind, perhaps the site's name was given to denote the location of an area of agricultural land, quite literally 'carved up' by human hands? Incidentally, the term also has a similar definition in Latin ('to cut or impress into a surface'), which makes sense given the area's long-standing association with the Romans! 

In the absence of any burials being found there, this appears to be the only other logical explanation! However, sadly, we may never know the truth...

Whatever its origins, Graven Hill is now the site of the UK's largest self-build community.