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Barrow / Cairn Cemetery

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Beckhampton Firs Long Barrow

Monument No. 215662

Details of Long Barrow on Pastscape

A Neolithic long barrow (Grinsell's Bishops Cannings 76) with a Bronze Age round barrow over its east end, located west of Beckhampton Firs. Excavated by Thurnam in the mid-19th century, apparently without result. Completely excavated by Smith in 1964. Neolithic pottery, animal bones and an antler pick were found. The antler pick was radiocarbon dated to 2307 +- 90 bc. The mound itself featured a framework of fencing comprising an axial line of stake holes with off-set "bays", each then infilled and revetted. No human bone was found associated with the the long barrow. Subsequent to excavation, the long barrow remains as a mound, though inevitably much disturbed in appearance. Scheduled.

(SU 06666773) Long Barrow (NR) (1)
West of Beckhampton Firs - Bishop's Cannings 76 : long barrow (see plan). Probably excavated by Thurnam (3) without result during 1855-67. Total excavation of the mound, which remained to a height of 3 ft, by Smith on behalf of the Ministry of Public Building and Works in 1964 revealed it to be unchambered, and no burials were discovered. A few sherds of Neolithic pottery were found in the mound and animal bones including the skulls of three oxen were found both in and under the mound. A round barrow with ditch was later superimposed on its eastern end. This has been almost totally destroyed, but sherds of a Collared Urn from the adjacent plough soil were most probably derived from it(4). Finds from the barrow are in Devizes Museum. (2-6)
SU 06656773. The long barrow, now up to 0.7m in height above 0.2m deep side ditches, is apparently much disturbed and cannot be readily reconciled with Smith's plan, where the orientation seems to be in error. The mound, 66.0m long NE-SW by 50.0m, has a slightly raised circular portion at its NE end, probably the remains of the round barrow identified by Smith, and side ditches 0.2m deep. Resurveyed at 1:2500. (7)
Final publication of Smith's excavation occurred in 1979 (8). The long barrow mound consisted of a framework of fencing - an axial line of stake holes with offsets at right angles and lateral lines closing off the bays thus formed. These bays were then infilled, the whole being revetted mostly with what the excavator describes as chalk gravel. An antler pick from the burial surface produced radiacarbon dates of 2307 +/- 90 bc. No human bone was found associated with the long barrow. The round barrow constructed over its eastern end would appear to be of Early Bronze Age date. (8) Additional references. (9-10)
The Neolithic long barrow,dsecribed by the previous authorities, has been mapped from air photographs. (11-12)
Chance Posted by Chance
17th August 2013ce
Edited 17th August 2013ce

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