Images

Image of Bathampton Downs barrows (Round Barrow(s)) by thesweetcheat

The northern of the three Bathampton Down barrows may be hidden in this nettlebed, but it was pouring with rain by this point so I didn’t investigate further.

Image credit: A. Brookes (29.10.2011)
Image of Bathampton Downs barrows (Round Barrow(s)) by thesweetcheat

The SE of the two southern barrows, slightly more impressive than its pair.

Image credit: A. Brookes (29.10.2011)
Image of Bathampton Downs barrows (Round Barrow(s)) by thesweetcheat

Another view of the NW of the two southern barrows, looking towards the SE barrow (behind the hedge).

Image credit: A. Brookes (29.10.2011)
Image of Bathampton Downs barrows (Round Barrow(s)) by thesweetcheat

The near-invisible NW of the two southern barrows. The path runs right over the top of it, but I doubt many passing dog walkers notice it. The path leads to the Sham Castle folly.

Image credit: A. Brookes (29.10.2011)

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Bathampton Downs barrows
Round Barrow(s)

Three round barrows on Bathampton Downs. Pastscape descriptions:

Two southern barrows

ST 76696465 and ST 76766460

Two barrows, south east of Sham Castle,were noted by Rev.J.Skinner in the early 19th.C., as 20-30 feet in circumference and 2 feet high. One was ditched and had been excavated before 1821.(2). The easternmost was excavated in 1856 by the Rev.Scarth but no record of finds survives. Both were trial-excavated in 1904 by trenching and found to be of soil and rubble. No finds were made.

At ST 76692 64660 a circular mound 1.2 m high and at ST 76761 64607 a very similar mound 1.1 m. high. Neither has a visible ditch and both appear to be bowl barrows.

Northern barrow

A barrow, described by the Rev. J. Skinner in the early 19thc (2), as 60 paces in circumference and 4-5 feet high. It was ditched and mutilated by quarrying. Skinner noticed remains of inurned cremations in the quarry face on the west and in the barrow. The mound was further excavated in 1905 and found to comprise a mound of soil and rubble with a revetment wall 22 feet in diameter. Three inurned cremations were found in pits cut in the underlying rock and are now in Bath Museum with other potsherds, flint flakes, animal bones, etc., found in the excavation.

This a bowl barrow 2.0 m high with traces of a ditch.

Sites within 20km of Bathampton Downs barrows