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Knook Barrows

Long Barrow

Miscellaneous

Details of destroyed Long Barrow ("Knook 5") on Pastscape

Long barrow on Knook Down (Grinsell's Knook 5), contained 4 inhumations. Had well defined ditches, destroyed 1939-45
(ST 96754625) Long Barrow (GT) (site of) (1)
A small long barrow, excavated by W Cunnington in 1801. One single and a group of three inhumation burials were found, described by Grinsell as a primary deposit, and a 'circular cist' nearly 3 feet deep but without finds. Grinsell describes it as 78 feet long with well defined ditches but destroyed 1939-45. (2-3)
The long barrow is in a military firing range and no trace of it can now be seen. (4)
Recorded in an earlier source than authority 2 as Knook 5. (5)
ST 967462 Knook 5 (Kinnes ST 36) Mortuary area located near to centre with pit, four crouched inhumations with heads to northeast. Had a covering of black earth. Mound comprised chalk rubble. (6)
The barrow is situated on the Downs about 2km to the S of Imber and was investigated by RCHME field staff as part of the SPTA project. It lies on the crest of a spur and is not visible from the valley to the N, and while there are good views N to Wadmans Coppice and E to Chapperton Down and beyond, it is overlooked by the higher ground of Knook Down in the S. The monument is aligned E-W and is now extremely difficult to interpret as a result of severe shelling and tank activity at some time in the past.
The mound, only parts of which survive, appears to have measured about 25m in length, 12m wide and 1m high. Of the flanking ditches, that to the S is about 7m wide x 0.4m deep. Cunnington however, refers to it as being 75 ft in length, and 54ft wide. The barrow lies within a ?prehistoric field system and a field bank abuts the E end of the barrow, while a linear ditch aligned on the W end of the mound runs N-S. Further details can be found within the project archive. (7)

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SOURCE TEXT
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( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date) OS 6" 1961
( 2) General reference Anc Wilts, 1, 1812, 86 (R C Hoare)
( 3) General reference V C H Wilts 1, 1957, 141 (L V Grinsell)
( 4) Field Investigators Comments F1 ANK 04-OCT-68
( 5) General reference WAM 38, 1913-14, 274, 392 (Rev E.H Goddard)
( 6) General reference British Museum Occasional Paper 52, 1992, 10, 25 (I. Kinnes)
( 7) General reference D. Field/11-12-95/RCHME:SPTA Project
Chance Posted by Chance
7th July 2012ce
Edited 9th April 2013ce

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