| Print | More

THE GIANTS GRAVE

ALTERNATIVE NAME:

HAMBLEDON HILL LONG BARROW (SOUTH), HAMBLEDON HILL SOUTHERN LONG BARROW

ABOUT THIS MONUMENT

+ / -

EH Visitor Information
Related Monuments
Related Text
Investigation History

More Pictures
Modern Map
Old Map
Aerial Photograph

Monument Types
Sources
Thesaurus
Description

DESCRIPTION

+ / -

An early but fairly short Neolithic long barrow on Hambledon Hill, totally excavated in 1977 and now reconstructed as an earthwork. Both long barrows (see also ST 81 SW 11) on Hambledon Hill appear to have been known by the same name by the later 19th century. This, the more southerly of the two long barrows, is situated between the main causewayed enclosure (ST 81 SW 17) and the southern cross-dyke (ST 81 SW 63), and may pre-date the initial construction of both of these earthworks. Survey by RCHME in 1959 showed the barrow to be circa 26 metres long by 13 metres wide, diminishing in height from circa 1 metre at the northern end. Its slightly trapezoid shape, together with an opening at the northern end in the surrounding ditch (revealed by later excavation) suggest that it faced north, towards the main causewayed enclosure. The mound was almost completely destroyed prior to ploughing, and was consequently totally excavated by Roger Mercer in 1977. It has since been reconstructed as a simple oval mound, 27 metres long by 10 metres wide and up to 1.3 metres high. Excavation showed the flanking ditches to have been dug as a series of interlinked pits which curved inwards at both ends of the barrow and linked up at the southern end. The ditches had experienced a similar sequence of use and re-use to those of the main causewayed enclosure. Large quantities of Neolithic bowl pottery were recovered from the primary ditch silts. A few fragments of human bone were recovered from the bulldozed material which had formed the mound. The earthworks on Hambledon Hill were surveyed in 1996 by RCHME. See the parent record (ST 81 SW 17) and the archive report for full details.

DETAIL

+ / -

MORE INFORMATION & SOURCES

+ / -

(24) Long Barrow (84891207) on Hambledon Hill, at about 590 ft OD on a gentle S-facing slope, just below the highest part of the hill, lies within the earthworks of the Neolithic causewayed camp. Its N-S alignment (358o) does not appear to have been determined by topography. Short and parallel sided, it is about 85 ft long and 43 ft wide, rising in height from 3 1/2 ft at its N end to 7 ft at its S end, part of which has been quarried away. In cross profile it is steep and straight sided with a narrow top. There are traces of parallel side ditches, clear on the W but much disturbed on the E (Plate 132). (1-2)

The long barrow was destroyed in the early 1960's and its remains, together with its side ditches, were totally excavated in 1977. Fragments of human bone were found in the mound and pottery was found in the primary ditch silts. One of the ditches had been recut and 'linear flint cairns' had been subsequently built in the silted
ditches. (3)

ST 84891205 The long barrow is of an oval outline, measuring 24.5 m long, 9.0 m wide and 1.5 m high. The side ditches are barely discernible as level areas.

Surveyed at 1:2500 on PFD. (4)

(ST 8489 1206) Between late May and late August 1996 the Cambridge and Exeter offices of RCHME carried out an earthwork survey and aerial photographic interpretation of the complex of monuments on Hambledon Hill as part of the project to record Industry and Enclosure in the Neolithic period (5). The reconstruction of the barrow is a mound 27m long, 10m wide and up to 1.3m wide. The length would appear to have been restricted by the space available between the main causewayed enclosure (ST 81 SW 17) to the N and the S cross-dyke (ST 81 SW 63). The alignment is at right angles to the cross-dyke, with the front probably downslope to the SSE. Its position appears to relate to a slight but distinct angle change in the southern cross-dyke.

Radiocarbon determinations undertaken subsequent to the survey indicate the barrow to be possibly the earliest of the excavated monuments on the hill.

For further details, see RCHME level 3 client report and plan at 1:1000 scale, held in archive. (5)

See the full publication on Hambledon Hill for more details of the surrounding earthworks. (6)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England) 1970 An inventory of historical monuments in the County of Dorset. Volume three : central Dorset [in two parts]

Page(s)83, 130

( 2) Aerial photograph

A/Ps (F21/58/RAF/1332 7-8 7.1.54) NMR ST 8412/3 & 5)

( 3) General reference

Mercer, R. 1977. Hambledon Hill 1977 (Interim Report), p6

( 4) Field Investigators Comments

F1 CC 06-APR-78

(5) Field Investigators Comments

RCHME:Industry and Enclosure in the Neolithic: Hambledon Hill Survey

(6) Mercer, Roger & Healy, Frances 2009 Hambledon Hill, Dorset, England : excavation and survey of a Neolithic monument complex and its surrounding landscape

RELATED MONUMENTS

+ / -

Monument Name/No

Resources

Description

STEPLETON ENCLOSURE, HAMBLEDON HILL
HANFORD

Monument Pictures
Monument Maps
Monument Investigation
Monument Sources
EH Visitor Information

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 ...

THE GIANTS GRAVE
CHILD OKEFORD

Monument Pictures
Monument Maps
Monument Investigation
Monument Sources
EH Visitor Information

A fairly well-preserved early Neolithic long barrow on Hambledon Hill. Both long barrows (see also ST 81 SW 18) on Hambledon Hill appear to have been ...

HAMBLEDON HILL
CHILD OKEFORD

Monument Pictures
Monument Maps
Monument Investigation
Monument Sources
EH Visitor Information

An Early Neolithic causewayed enclosure on the summit of Hambledon Hill, of which one third survives as earthwork and the remainder has been ploughed ...

HILLFORT SPUR ENCLOSURE
CHILD OKEFORD

Monument Pictures
Monument Maps
Monument Investigation
Monument Sources
EH Visitor Information

The Hambledon Hill Early Neolithic causewayed enclosure lies in north-east Dorset. The hillfort spur earthwork, previously thought to represent the ea...

RELICT SPUR OUTWORK
CHILD OKEFORD

Monument Pictures
Monument Maps
Monument Investigation
Monument Sources
EH Visitor Information

Well-preserved remnant of a probable Neolithic outwork on Hambledon Hill, underlying the south western gateway of the Iron Age hillfort (SW 81 SW 10)....

WESTERN OUTWORK
CHILD OKEFORD

Monument Pictures
Monument Maps
Monument Investigation
Monument Sources
EH Visitor Information

Well-preserved Neolithic causewayed earthwork on Hambledon Hill. It is one of a series of outworks which appear to have enclosed much of the hill, and...

EASTERN CROSS DYKE
IWERNE COURTNEY OR SHROTON

Monument Pictures
Monument Maps
Monument Investigation
Monument Sources
EH Visitor Information

A ploughed out Neolithic causewayed double cross-dyke on Hambledon Hill. Two,and possibly all three, of the spurs which joined the central domed summi...

SOUTHERN CROSS DYKE
CHILD OKEFORD

Monument Pictures
Monument Maps
Monument Investigation
Monument Sources
EH Visitor Information

A fairly well preserved Neolithic causewayed double cross-dyke on Hambledon Hill. Two, and possibly all three, of the spurs which joined the central d...

SHROTON SPUR OUTWORK
IWERNE COURTNEY OR SHROTON

Monument Pictures
Monument Maps
Monument Investigation
Monument Sources
EH Visitor Information

A plough-damaged Neolithic causewayed linear earthwork on Hambledon Hill. It is one of a series of features which enclosed much of the hill. Evidence ...

HANFORD SPUR OUTWORK
HANFORD

Monument Pictures
Monument Maps
Monument Investigation
Monument Sources
EH Visitor Information

A ploughed out Neolithic causewayed linear earthwork on Hambledon Hill. It is one of a series of such features which enclosed much of the hill. Eviden...

NORTHERN CROSS DYKE
CHILD OKEFORD

Monument Pictures
Monument Maps
Monument Investigation
Monument Sources
EH Visitor Information

The Hambledon Hill Early Neolithic causewayed enclosure lies in north-east Dorset. The main enclosure is divided from the radiating spurs by pairs of ...

MONUMENT TYPES

+ / -

COMMENTS

+ / -

Please help us keep our information accurate let us know if you see any errors on this page.

Further information about monuments may be obtained by contacting NMR Enquiry and Research Services , through the English Heritage website.

EH Archives
EH Prints
English Heritage
Heritage Explorer
Heritage Gateway
Images of England
National Heritage List for England
English Heritage Archive
ViewFinder