Chance
Found some of the stones from this barrow and can confirm the continued presence of the erected “Capping Stone” said to cover the five cambers from this long barrow. I spoke to the current owner of ‘Stonelands’, the property listed on the Pastscape index, who told me that the area had been redeveloped and their stones had now been incorporated into the newer property next door called ‘Leystones’, and that I should talk to Mr.Cuss about the stone in his garden. Although I got no response on ringing the bell at ‘Leystones’, I did walk past their stones on the driveway up to the house and I could see Mr. Cuss’s stone through the hedge. I took pictures from different angels and went on to ring Mr.Cuss’s bell.
Couldn’t put an age on Mr.Cuss but I reckon he had a telegram from Liz on his mantelpiece. He was the very same Mr.Cuss mentioned in the 1965 excavation, a former gardener at Fromefield House. He repeated his statement and “still had not found any re-interred bones”. I asked to take some pictures of his stone, but he refused. It was a very hot day and I think he wanted to get inside for his tea. He was kind but I didn’t linger and bid him good day.
The stone on this property seems to be right next to a hedge and behind a poly-tunnel. The site looked safe and loved, and in a strange way the poly-tunnel acted a bit like the long barrow. I couldn’t find the other stone mentioned, in the garden of ‘Ormonde’, but I left the site having felt I had achieved the object and gained an insight into the sort of stone I was searching for, a tangible glimpse of the craftsmanship and finish this tribe of Neolithic people left behind.
The Somerset Historic Environment Record site gives a map of the developed area with an image of the long barrow superimposed on the new street plan.
At first glance this site looks like a strip of round barrows running along the crest of the hill, but on closer inspection a distinct grouping can be made out. On the pasture east of the wood, three round barrows curve round in a arc with two more lining up in the wood. One of the barrows from this grouping was excavated by Skinner in 1820 and contained a coarse urn, 16” high, 12” wide at mouth with chevron decoration, half filled with a cremation of a young woman.
There are nine other barrows, six of which seem to be paired up one the western end of the wood. Between these stand three barrows in a E-W line. This is where the Beacon was said to have stood. A large circular earthwork, presumably of later date, encircles these three barrows and centres on a single standing stone.
The standing stone is a mystery and looks like it has been moved onto the barrow at a later date, but may have been originally placed elsewhere within the barrow grouping. The O.S. map of the wood gives three parish boundaries meeting on the Fosse way just west of where the barrow stands.
The Romans made several roads around here but to drive the Fosse way directly up the hill and between the two barrow groups was clearly designed as a statement on a conquered territory. The iron-age hillfort of Maesbury Castle lies 3km to the east.
Although the road layout of the old Frome road is roman, there would have been a prehistoric trackway running along top of the Mendip Hills directly in front of the cliff face. The quality of the stone from these hills ensured the extensive re-engineering of the road network, together with extensive building work.
The woodland trust own and manage Beacon Wood with support from the Beacon Hill Society. The wood was brought by the trust in 1993 with funding from Mendip District Council. The woodland has developed over the last 200 years on land that was formally un-enclosed.
The core of this hill is the oldest in Somerset and was laid down by volcanic activity 420 million years ago. Stones formed from lava (called andradite) were overlaid with fragments of explosive debris and ash (called tuff). A layer of Red Sandstone was deposited some 380 million years ago when the climate was sub-tropical desert. Rheon layers of limestone were deposited when the area was under a tropical sea. It is very unusual to see a mix of these types of stone in one small area.
The present crest of the scarp contains rounded pebbles of polished white quartz, known as conglomerates; the rust red colour results from the oxidation of iron minerals under arid conditions. Continued earth movements caused folds and faults to occur and the Mendip Hills were uplifted about 280 million years ago.
ACCESS
No problem parking as there is a pull in just off the old Frome road at ST 63701 46110. An alternative is over the road from this where a small section of the Fosse Way remains as a minor trackway.
Wiltshire Archaeology Field Group (WAFG).
Archaeology in Wiltshire Conference 2014 – 9:30 am, Saturday, 15 March, 2014
A Conference exploring recent archaeological work in Wiltshire, including developer-funded work. This builds on last year’s very successful conference, attended by over 200 people.
The Conference will start at 9.30 for coffee, with talks from 10.00 until about 4.45.
The Conference is being organised by the Wiltshire Museum and the Archaeology Field Group of the Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Society.
The Conference is being held at the Corn Exchange in Devizes Market Place. The most convenient car park is at Station Road – follow this link to a Google Map. It is a very short walk up Station Road to the Market Place, and the Corn Exchange is immediately on your right, next to the Bear Hotel – follow this link in Google Street View.
Confirmed so far
* Melanie Pomeroy-Kellinger – Overview of recent archaeological work in Wiltshire
* Richard Osgood – Operation Nightingale: Excavating a Spitfire on Salisbury Plain
* Roy Canham – LIDAR: Seeing the Ancient Landscapes of Bradford-on-Avon
* David Sabin – Recent Geophysics surveys in Wiltshire
* Overview of recent work by the Archaeology Field Group
We are busy talking to possible speakers and there are more to come ...
Booking:Please telephone the Wiltshire Museum on 01380 727369 to book your ticket. We can take credit / debit card payments over the telephone. The Museum is open Tuesday – Saturday 10-5 and Sunday 12-4. The Museum is not open on Mondays Jan – March. You may also send a cheque made payable to WANHS.
Cost: £25 (£20 for WANHS Members)
Details of Barrow on Pastscape
T.157 (marked on map) (3) is a bowl barrow, 80 ft. in diam. 7 ft. in height, with a well marked ditch up to 2 ft. deep and 10 ft. wide, built of stones. This is a bowl barrow 2.4m. high with traces of a ditch 0.2m. deep on its northern side. (Grinsell’s Compton Martin 1.) Surveyed at 1/2500. (5) Additional reference – as 5a. (6) ‘Hazle Barrow’. There has been speculation about the location of this barrow, but a clue in the Liberty Perambulations identifies it as that at ST 5309 5608. (7)
Details of Long Barrow on Pastscape
The remains of a long barrow, possibly chambered. A fragment of human bone has been found.
[ST 72735173] LONG BARROW [G.T.]. (1) Skinner was informed that three upright stones placed in the form of a triangle, and about as high as the Murtry stones (c.10 ft. ST75 SE 5) were removed from the barrow and broken up for road metalling sometime before this visit in 1819. The barrow appears to be orientated almost due north-south. The southern end has been overlaid by the cause-way of a modern road and the northern part survives as a quite well defined mound 0.8m. high. Recent ploughing shows the mound to be composed of earth with a few small stones. Resurveyed at 1:2500. (2) A fragmennt of human tibia has been recovered from the surface of this barrow. (3) ST 7272 5175: Big Tree, Buckland down, listed as a long barrow. Visited by LV Grinsell 29-Aug-1964. W part arable, E part grass. Site is named from an elm which stood in it until c.1960. The mound now resembles a round barrow but the S end may have been removed when the A362 was made (4) ‘Big tree’ previously known as ‘Madbarrow’ or ‘Modbury’, mentioned by John Strachey, 1730. (5)(6)
Details of Long Barrow on Pastscape
A Saxon inhumation cemetery recorded on Barrow Hill. The cemetery comprises five or six burials one of which was a inhumation orientated northwest-southeast and accompanied by grave goods included two silver wire rings and amethyst, glass and shell beads. The presence of the amethyst beads dates the burial to the seventh or early eighth century. The cemetery is situated close to the site of a chambered long barrow which was robbed for road materials during the early 19th century. Earthworks, possibly upcast from quarrying, have been described as the remains of a round barrow.
[ST 74875025] ANGLO-SAXON BURIAL GROUND [GT]. (1)
A Pagan Anglo-Saxon burial, probably 6th century, was found in August 1925, in a small quarry on the south side of Barrow Hill, Buckland and Dinham. Four or five other burials have been found previously. The grave was examined by the Rev. Horne in company with A. Buleid. It contained a female skeleton, two rings of fine silver were, possibly earrings, and half a dozen beads in quartz, glass and white shell. The beads were dated by the British Museum. (R.A. Smith). (2)
In addition to the above other human bones were found in June 1923 and earlier (a). These burials have been sited by H. St. G. Grey to ST 74845027 (b), a position that coincides with a small overgrown quarry and is probably more accurate than the O.S. siting. Skinner states that quantities of human bones were found when a ‘vaulted tumulus’ similar to Stoney Littleton (a chambered long barrow, ST 75 NW 16) was robbed for road materials in the early 19th century. This barrow seems to have been situated at the east end of the hill (c), possibly at ST 74825030 where there is a slight, apparently natural, rise at the end of the spur. Wicks records a round barrow, 4 foot 6 inches high and 31 feet in diameter, in a small thorn copse just below the point of the spur and 30 yards from the quarry where Saxon skeletons were found. (c) He is almost certainly referring to an irregular mound 0.9m. high at ST 74875026 which has no ditch and appears to be upcast from nearby surface quarrying. (3) Anglo-Saxon burials – additional reference (4) Barrows – additional references (5-7) Additional reference (8)
Details of hillfort on Pastscape
Earthwork remains of an Iron Age promontory fort or multivallate hillfort . The defences apparently consisted of two parallel banks running NW – SE with a central entrance. About 100 yds. of the outer bank remains at the SE end, and 160 yds. at the NW end. The inner bank, largely complete, is 10-15’ high, with remains of a 4’ – 6’ thick dry stone wall running for a considerable distance from the SE end where there are also traces of a third bank. There is a rectangular earthwork at the outer flank of the NW end. Near the centre of the inner bank a fragment of earthwork, 11 ft. high, extends into the interior of the Camp. A pot of Roman coins ‘mostly Constantine Junior’ (AD 337-40) was dug up at Tedbury in 1691.
Details of hillfort on Pastscape
Earthwork remains of an Iron Age promontory fort or univallate hillfort.
[ST 735489] Wadbury Camp [GT]. (1) Wadbury is a promontory fort situated on the north side of the Mells stream, the steep banks of which form the defences on one side; elsewhere they consist of a 16ft. high bank with ditch, below the counterscarp of which is a revetment of stones. The N-S middle bank, and a low bank to the N.W. of the house [Wadbury] are modern. (2)
Wadbury Camp is situated at the western end of a small ridge. The ground falls away steeply on the north and precipitously on the S & W with a flat approach from the east. On the north only a scarp survives with a stony bank below. On the east is a strong double rampart with vestiges of another which has been considerably altered by the construction of ornamental gardens. A possible entrance exists in the north-west but the outer bank here has been partially destroyed by a farm track. Published survey (25”) revised. (3) Additional references (4)(5) ST 736 489. Wadbury. Listed in gazetteer as a univallate hillfort covering 30ha. (6)
Details of Long Barrow on Pastscape
Two stones representing the remains of a long barrow opened 1803-4 when an primary deposit of human bones and secondary cremations in urns were found.
[ST 76305066] ORCHARDLEIGH STONES [G.T.]. (1)
Recorded by Skinner (2) as a tumulus 50 ft x 36 ft., with two large stones at its east end, one leaning against the other. Excavated by Gray in 1920. The stones were 10 1/2 ft. and 5 1/2ft. high respectively, but set only 18” in the ground, suggesting they were not in situ. A prostrate stone, nearby, was visible at the surface, and several others were revealed by digging. Finds included several flints, many small fragments of R.B. pottery, two Roman coins, and pieces of human bone. [See AO/LP/64/23] (3). Gray concluded that this was the remains of a disturbed chambered long barrow. Daniel, however, doubts very much if “there was ever a burial chamber at this site”. (4) Scheduled as a burial chamber. (5) The two stones, the taller is 3.3m., stand on a slightly raised semi-circular platform, with a bank on the south-west. Two other stones show through the surface. It is not possible by visual inspection to reach any conclusion concerning the nature of the site. See G.P. AO/64/267/3. Surveyed at 1/2500. (6) ST 7628 5069: Long barrow, Murtry Hill. Opened 1803-4, primary? deposit of human bones, secondary? cremations in urns, Large stone W of centre broken just before visit by Skinner (source 2) in 1825. Excavations by Gray (source 3) revealed human remains just W of the entrance and he suspected that the 2 standing stones now at E end may have been placed there c.1800 as a ‘restoration’ (7) Additional references (8)(9)(10)(11)
Details of site on Pastscape
Kingsdown Camp was excavated 1927-9, by H.St. George Gray. The defences consisted of a Pre-Flavian dry stone wall and ‘v’-shaped outer ditch, with a Pre-Belgic-Belgic inner ditch. Roman occupation ceased about Mid – 2nd c. Two paved entrances were found, the original to SSE, and The Roman, to NE, where two post-holes of a gate were revealed. [See plan AO/LP/63/100]
The inner ditch produced a quantitiy of Hod Hill type brooches (c. AD 40-50), hearths and finds of Lake Village type, including two currency bars and bone needles. Also found were an iron dagger (La Tene II), o a Dobunnic silver coin (Eisu), (3), an As. of Domitian, two Dupondii of Hadrian, Pre-conquest and RB.pottery. A feature of the inner ditch was a number of burials relating to the Roman occupation. The outer ditch on pottery evidence, very probably dates to the Claudius – Nero period. various banks and mounds in the area of the camp were examined, but their purpose was not determined. They are composed, very largely, of local stone. RB. sherds and flint flakes were found, also a probably re-interred skeleton, and a considerable amount of iron slag. (2-3)
The occupation site excavated in 1927-9, covers an area of approximately half an acre. The enclosing wall is concealed in a low bank. The surrounding ditch survives only on the north and west but its position is indicated by a darker growth of grass for its full extent. Banks ouside the enclosure suggest associated fields, and very parched grass on top of the bank, and a few exposed stones, indicate walling beneath the surface. Resurveyed at 1:2500. All the finds from the 1927-29 excavations are in Taunton Museum (Acc.No.A 422). See AO/64/273/4. Stereo-photographs AO/64/265/2 and 3 and AO/64/265/4 and 5. (4) Kingsdown Camp is a small Iron Age earthwork enclosure, refortified, curiously, in the late 1st/2nd century AD. (5-6)
Additional references (7)(8)
Details of Cave on Pastscape
Cave located in a cliff just outside Fairy Cave Quarry near Stoke St Michael. It forms part of a complicated system of passages in the quarry area which converge on St Dunstan’s Well, a short distance to the north west. Iron Age potsherds were found at Fairy Cave in 1888, according to one source, and 1929 according to two others. Some potsherds are in Taunton Museum. [ST 65654774] Fairy Cave [T.I.] (1) Iron Age ‘A’ potsherds were found at the mouth of Fairy Cave by Aidan Savage in 1888, and presented to the Downside Archaeological Society. Some of the finds are now in Taunton Museum. (2-3) Fairy Cave is at ST 65654775. The entrance is now barred. Downside School no longer has any finds from the cave. (4)
Details of Barrow on Pastscape
[ST 5772 5036] Barrow – Tratman’s No. 277. (1)
Against the southern side of a wall at ST 57689 50347 are the remains of a bowl barrow 2.9m high. The northern half has been destroyed and there are uncertain traces of a ditch around its south-east quadrant. It is situated at a bend in the parish boundary and Grinsell(a) who lists it as a bowl barrow, (his Chewton Mendip 32) – states that it is called “Fford’s” and “Forge Barrow” respectively in the bounds of St. Cuthbert out (1752) and Chewton Mendip (1760). Surveyed at 1:2500. (2) Bowl barrow at Green Ore. The barrow is referred to as Fford’s or Forge Barrow in 18th century sources. The barrow mound measures 14 metres in diameter and stands up to 2 metres high. Scheduling amended. (4)
Details of Long Barrow on Pastscape
T 218 – a long barrow on the south side of Pen Hill at an altitude of about 950 Ft., is oriented nearly east and west, has a length of 130 ft., and is square ended with distinct traces of a ditch on the northern side. It is higher and wider at the east end, where it measures 30 ft wide by 5 ft. 5 ins. high. (2) This is a mound 40 metres long and 0.7 metres high with faint traces of a ditch on its northern side and the remains of surface quarrying on its southern side. It is probably, but not certainly, a long barrow. The probable bowl barrow (ST 54 NE 35) at the east end of the mound may originally have been part of the long mound as there are traces of an old trackway between the two mounds. Surveyed at 1/2500. (See ST 54 NE 37). (3) ST 5635 4876: Long barrow with side ditches which are not parallel but widen towards the SW. Listed by Grinsell as St Cuthbert Out I. (5) ST 5634 4868. A Neolithic long barrow located below the crest of Pen Hill. It is 44 metres in length, an average of 13 metres wide and up to 2 metres high. A later round barrow (UID 196928) lies 3 metres to the east. Scheduled.
Details of the Hillfort on Pastscape
This is an Iron Age, bivallate, contour hill fort enclosing about seven acres. The inner bank is mostly 5ft. high but increases to 10ft. at the east end of the camp. There are entrances on the S.E. and N.W. and the latter appears to be original. It formerly had an outturned bank on its S. side. Gray (3) believes the S.E. gap to be original, and here the bank shows traces of a stone core. Also on the S.E. is a much ploughed down bank, (H-I), [See Illustrations Card] about 1ft. high by 10ft. wide, with a shallow outer ditch; it appears to be an outwork. (2-4) Maesbury, a bi-vallate hillfort which presents some unusual features. Both the opposed entrances have been damaged: that to
the N.W. has ramparts abutting at right-angles and a slight ditch, extending N.W. fom the S. side of the entrance, suggests an embryonic out-turning. The “outwork” at the S.E. could possibly have been intended for another out-turned or covered entrance. On the W. side scarping of the main rampart has not been completed, thus leaving a berm at the original ground level between rampart and ditch. The outer rampart is also incomplete. It is simply an interspace on the S.W. side, a weak single bank on the S. & E. sides and a double bank on the N. Throughout, the impression gained is that Maesbury is an unfinished hillfort. Re-surveyed at 1/2500. ST 611472: Maesbury Castle, scheduled. (7)
Maesbury, originally called “Marksbury”, mentioned in boundary charterof 702. (8)
Details of Badger Hole cave system on Pastscape
A cave with a large entrance which leads via communicating passages to a large inner chamber. The entrance is high in the eastern face of the Wookey Hole Ravine. The cave was first discovered in 1938, and excavated over a number of years by HE Balch. Its interior deposits proved to have been extensively disturbed by badgers. Further excavations occurred in 1958 (C McBurney) and 1968 (J Campbell). Finds include Palaeolithic flints, including scrapers, awls, saws and leaf points; Palaeolithic animal remains, including mammoth, woolly rhinocerous and hyena; and a quantity of Roman finds including pottery, coins, and a bronze fibula. A number of iron objects including nails may be quite recent. Human remains recovered from Badger Hole had been regarded as belonging to the Early Upper Palaeolithic. However, direct accelerator dating of the human bones have produced dates ranging from circa 9000 years bp and 1500 bp.
Details of long barrow on Pastscape
Priddy Long Barrow (T.105) orientated NE & SW [SIC] 70 ft x 32 ft (south end) x 6-7 ft high. Stones of the surrounding wall and also possibly of two chambers are visible, as well as the tips of the two uprights of the entrance passage at the south corner. There is no trace of a surrounding ditch. (2) Partial excavation by the U.B.S.S. in 1928 revealed a hearth, two or three human teeth and flints – including a triangular pygmy from the original turf level. (3) The typescript of this excavation report is with the U.B.S.S., and has not been published. (4) This long barrow is 1.7 metres high and is orientated NW-SE. A number of stones are visible on the sides but none are earthfast and they probably result from field clearance.Resurveyed at 1/2500 (5)
A report of the 1928 excavation submitted by C W Phillips (? to PUBSS) was found in 1950. Now published with comments by H Taylor (who held the report between 1950 and 1970). The barrow had been previously disturbed at the south end probably by Skinner. The main structure was a cairn of big stones, with the higher and wider end to the south. Primary and secondary features were found (see plan), but no dating material. Presumed Neolithic from form and structure. (6)
Possibly the highest round barrow in Wiltshire, overlooking Adam’s Grave.
Although now destroyed, this may have once been a chambered round barrow judging by the amount of sarsen scattered around the site. Whoever desecrated this barrow made a point of tearing the internal structure apart.
ACCESS
The area around Adams Grave and the Ridgeway car park has been updated.
The old footpath route has been removed and a new set of gates lead the visitor around Walker’s Hill Barrows and along the field boundary onto the White Horse Trail. This is a much improved surface and could possibly carry a wheelchair or pushchair.
