| Summary : The site of an oval Neolithic causewayed enclosure on the south-eastern, or Stepleton, spur of Hambledon Hill (see ST 81 SW 17). Part of a complex of Neolithic monuments which occupy all three spurs of Hambledon Hill. The earthworks on Hambledon Hill were surveyed by RCHME in 1996. The remains of the Stepleton enclosure were recorded during an earlier RCHME survey in 1959 and was completely excavated during Roger Mercer's 1974-86 excavation programme, having already been severely damaged by modern ploughing. Mercer's excavations confirmed the causewayed nature and Neolithic date of the enclosure. The Stepleton enclosure lacked the abundant human remains and quantities of imported material present in the main causewayed enclosure (ST 81 SW 17). A number of post holes in the interior, possibly representing structures, were identified, and the enclosure has generally been interpreted as being more domestic in function. The Stepleton enclosure was incorporated into one of the Neolithic "outworks", the Stepleton outwork (part of which still survives as an earthwork), which utilised part of the enclosure circuit, and ran along the southern side of the spur towards the Hanford Spur outwork (ST 81 SW 71). These outworks appear to have combined to enclose much of Hambledon Hill. The Stepleton outwork in particular appears to have been revetted with large oak timbers and hazel wattle fences. The ditch fills of both enclosure and outwork have also hinted at one or more attacks on the site late in the Neolithic sequence. This evidence takes the form of episodes of burning, flint arrowheads, complete human skeletons and, in one case, an adult male with a leaf-shaped arrowhead in his thoracic cavity. However, the Stepleton enclosure appears to have continued in use for a while after this episode. Finally, a 7th-8th century inhumation cemetery was inserted into the bank. The cemetery comprised 13 individuals orientated west-east. Two were accompanied by grave goods of knives. |
More information : (ST855115) Enclosure, roughly circular and of 2 acres internally, lies between 450ft. and 500 ft. O.D. near the
tip of the S.E. spur of Hambledon Hill, on ground sloping S. and E. it is now largely destroyed. Except for a gentle rise to the W. the ground falls fairly rapidly away on all sides. The enclosure is defined by a scarp, presumably once a bank, and an external ditch, best preserved on the N. where it reaches the spur top and crosses the parish boundary with Iwerne Courtney Here the scarp is about 5 ft. high, the ditch about 30ft. across and 1 ft. deep. S. of the parish boundary it has been severely reduced by ploughing and is visible only as a long low scarp, 3 ft. high, within the modern field angle. On the N.W., where nearly 100 ft. of the scarp has been completely destroyed the ditch swings outwards perhaps to form part of an original entrance-work. On the S. side, interpretation of the line of the enclosure is complicated by a low scarp, with a narrow terrace-way below it, running in to meet if from the W. This feature remains unexplained and is not certainly contemporary.
(Not visible on RAF Air Photographs. CPE/UK 2038 4232-33) (1)
(Centred ST 855115) A small ditched enclosure, covering 2 acres, at the south-east extremity of the Hambledon Hill Neolithic complex (see ST 81 SW 17) was also confirmed as Neolithic by exploratory excavation in 1977. Within the enclosure three inhumations of Saxon date were recovered which may have formed part of a cemetery. Mercer refers to the enclosure as " a monument of previously unknown type". (2). Plan of enclosure and
outworks (3). (2,3)
Excavation of the enclosure (centred ST 855115) continued in 1978. The ditch appeared to be causewayed and the bank seemed to have had massive timbers in its body and a revettment on its inner face. Large quantites of charcoal found within the ditch may be associated with the burning of a timber superstructure mounted on the bank.
A human skeleton lying within the ditch with a leaf-shaped arrowhead embedded in the thoracic cavity also appeared to be contemporary with burning. The placing of human skulls at intervals around the ditch circuit suggested close links with the larger causewayed enclosure to the north west (see ST 81 SW 17) where this ritualistic procedure was also observed. Within the enclosure little archaeological material had survived although there was clear evidence for the existence of at least two timber-built structures alongside an intact burial and a possible kiln or drying oven. (4)
The outworks sweeping past this enclosure also produced evidence of vertical timbers and the arrangment of skulls within the ditches.
Radiocarbon dates for the Stepleton enclosure give a date of 2750 +/-120 (HAR-3058). (5)
The total excavation of the enclosure was completed in 1981, and showed that it was in use over a considerable length of time. All of the available evidence indicates that the enclosure was used, at least for part of its time, as a settlement, albeit of a specialised nature. Successive periods of refortification culminated in the destruction of the site in a single catastrophic event accompanied by the prescence of a number of intact human skeletons. (6)
A total of 14 Saxon burials, of C7th-C8th date were discovered in the eastern sector of the enclosure, set into the enclosure bank. (7)
Additional reference (8)
The cemetery comprised 13 individuals including a double grave. The burials were supine and extended, orientated west-east. Two of the burials contained grave goods - knives. The layout, location and paucity of grave goods indicate a seventh or eighth century date for the cemetery. (9) |