| Summary : A henge, surviving as a cropmark and initially recorded as a ploughed-out disc barrow. The monument was subject to surface collection, geophysical survey and excavation in 1980 as part of the Stonehenge Environs Project. The whole site slopes gently to the south, and the interior of the enclosure appears to have been cut back into the hillside in order to create a level interior platform. Excavation confirmed that the enclosing ditch, with a single entrance to the north east, had been accompanied by an external bank. Various internal features were excavated, comprising a few pits and postholes, numerous stakeholes, and an arc of postholes concentric to the inner edge of the enclosure ditch which may have represented a post-circle. Some of the internal features probably pre-dated enclosure construction, and pottery from the site suggests that activity spanned the Early Neolithic through to the Middle Bronze Age. At the entrance, the one ditch terminal to be excavated contained a large, apparently cumulative deposit, including a substantial quantity of cattle bones and lithic material indicative of carcase preparation and cooking associated with Beaker pottery. Bones of a white-tailed sea eagle were found elsehwere in the ditch. An Early Neolithic pit containing a considerable quantity of deposited material was also found just outside the henge (see SU 14 SW 292). |
More information : (SU 13424160) Tumulus (NR) (site of) (NAT) (1)
A henge near West Amesbury, first discovered by O.G.S. Crawford, who described it as a disc barrow (2). Photographs by St Joseph show a broad, slightly oval ditch with a well-defined causeway to the north-east (3). These are not visible on a Crawford air photograph of 1934 which shows a broad white spread of about 65m overall diameter, probably indicative of a ploughed-out bank (4). Taken together, these features suggest the site to be that of a Class 1 henge. (5)
A very vague, roughly oval spread of about 60m north to south and 45m east to west is visible at the site, which Dr Isobel Smith also believes is a henge. Nothing is visible on available OS air photographs (218/70/067 Nos 139-140) (6)
Class 1 henge, oval in shape, 60yds wide north to south by 45yds east to west. It is situated on cultivated land, and is visible as the crop mark of a ditch with a break or entrance in the north east. Visited 11.8.76 (7)
(SU 13424160) Coneybury Henge has been levelled by ploughing, probably during the Medieval period as traces of ridge and furrow are present on some APs (NMR SU 1341/4/156-8). The ditch is oval in plan, 45m x 55m in overall diameter. Traces of an external bank are present on APs (OS Durnford 5674) (8). On excavation the ditch was found to be 5m wide, segmented with both `U'- and `V'-shaped profiles present. Earlier Neolithic to Middle Bronze pottery, animal bone and a human cremation were recovered. Partial excavation of the interior located a number of possible post hole or post-pit structures. Many of the pits were found to pre-date the enclosure. Stakehole clusters were identifed both within and outside the henge. (9-10)
Coneybury Henge is included within a discussion in the development of the Neolithic landscape in the environs of Stonehenge. (11)
The henge is visible as a clear oval ditch 42m x 37m, with an entrance to the northeast, and has been mapped from aerial photographs by both RCHME's Salisbury Plain Training Area NMP and EH's Stonehenge WHS Mapping Project. (13-15)
SU 13424160. Henge monument. Scheduling amended. (16) |