More information : (A: SU 0233 2256, B: SU 0235 2257, C: SU 0234 2248,
D: SU 0235 2249, E: SU 0236 2249 and F: SU 0234 2257) Tumuli (NR). (1)
Six bowl barrows (see plan (3)) on Marleycombe Hill, excavated
by Dr R C C Clay in 1926 (4), when urns of the Deveril-Rimbury
type were found. The finds went to Devizes Museum.
Bower Chalke 6 (A: SU 0233 2256) 11 paces in diameter and 1 ft in
height. A central cairn previously disturbed, leaving no
trace of a primary. To the east was an inverted Bronze Age
barrel urn (secondary?) with no trace of burnt bones or ashes.
A Beaker sherd was in the material.
Bower Chalke 7 (F: SU 0234 2257), 10 paces in diameter and
1 ft in height. The remains of a primary (crouched?) skeleton;
an empty cist to the south. Secondary adult cremation near the
northeast corner of the grave, with Bronze Age sherds.
Bower Chalke 8 (B: SU 0235 2257) 15 paces in diameter and 3 ft
in height. A primary interment of two crouched skeletons, one
with beaker. In material of mound a fragment of a flat bottomed
vessel the paste and texture of which were similar to that
of bowls from Windmill Hill (3); Romano British sherds
superficially.
Bower Chalke 9 (C: SU 0234 2248) 9 paces in diameter and 1 1/2 ft
in height. The primary cremation of an adult, mixed with ashes,
disturbed, and urn possibly removed by previous excavators.
Bower Chalke 10 (D: SU 0235 2249) 8 paces in diameter and 2 ft
in height. Previously disturbed, and central cist empty. To the
southeast were two Bronze Age barrel urns, one upright and
the other inverted, each containing a cremation and both in the
same cist (secondary).
Bower Chalke 11 (E: SU 0236 2249) 9 paces in diameter and
2 ft in height. A cremation beneath an inverted Bronze Age
barrel urn 5 ft southeast of the centre but probably the primary
interment. Near this on the west a small cist with cremation,
presumed secondary.
Colt Hoare (5) shows seven barrows here on his map, but one may
be the mound shown on OS 6" at SU 0201 2228.
Three of these barrows were excavated by John Burroughs in 1883.
In one he found an unburnt skeleton, parts of which he removed,
above which was a Bronze Age barrel urn. It appears to have
been empty. Grinsell (2) queries whether it came from Bower
Chalke 7. It went to Salisbury Museum. He also found (in barrows
9 and 10?) a large and small urn now lost (Dr Blackmore's 'Locked
Notebook' in Salisbury Museum). Clay (3) suggests, on the
assumption that the top soil used in the construction of barrows
6-8 was gathered from their immediate neighbourhood, that the
presence of beaker fragments, pot-boilers, pieces of sandstone
and black soil, indicates that there was a Beaker settlement
close by. The remains of a Beaker floor were found beneath the
top soil over which burrows 9-11 were constructed.
Clay could not substantiate his opinion by trial trenching and the
signs of habitation appear to spread over most of the northern
crest of (Marlycombe) Hill. (2-6)
It is clear from Grinsell's Pte 6" that he has numbered Clay's
barrows 1-3 in reverse order ie the NGR's as given in VCH 1 are
not applicable to the dimensions and the other details taken from
Clay's account. On this card the details have been applied to
the barrows in their correct plan position taken from Clay's
account, and Grinsell's numbers have been applied to the same NGRs
as given in his list. (7)
Six bowl barrows in two groups of three plus a newly recognised
example at SU 0235 2245 (6)
Group 1 comprising barrows A, B, F, is situated on the crest
of the N facing downland scarp.
A is 9.0m in diameter and 0.3m in height.
B is 12.0m in diameter and 1.0m in height.
F is 8.5m in diameter and 0.4m in height.
All are turf covered but ploughed up to their bases which has
destroyed any trace of ditches.
Group 2 comprises barrows C, D, E. Their ditches on the S side
have been cut through by the bank and ditch feature connected
with the settlement/field system SU 02 SW 8, but in general
they are in good condition and grass covered.
C is 7.5m in diameter and up to 0.8m in height.
D is 9.0m in diameter and up to 0.8m in height. It is conjoined
at the ditch with E, which is 7.5m in diameter and 1.1m in height.
G 30.0m to the S of this group survives as the northern half
of a barrow only. It is 7.0m in diameter and 0.3m in height.
Resurveyed at 1:2500. (8)
Surveyed by the RCHME. (9)
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