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KNAP HILL CAUSEWAYED ENCLOSURE

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The site of Knap Hill, a Neolithic causewayed enclosure. It encompasses an area of circa 2.4 hectares and consists of a single circuit of sub-triangular plan, conforming to the contours of the hill and possibly incomplete on the steepest, southern side. Exceptionally compared to other enclosures, the causeways seem to correspond precisely to gaps in the bank. It is unclear if the earthworks ever formed a complete enclosure. Excavations by the Cunningtons in 1908-9 first demonstrated the causewayed nature of the earthworks, as well as recovering pottery which they felt to be Neolithic in date. Further excavations in 1961 confirmed the Cunningtons' observations. Romano-British pottery and an extended inhumation probably relates to the adjacent, later earthwork enclosure. The site and its archaeological history were re-investigated as part of the RCHME project focusing on enclosure and industry in the Neolithic period in 1995. Knap Hill was also subsequently included in a research programme into the dating of the early Neolithic causewayed enclosures of southern Britain and of Ireland. The results suggested that Knap Hill was probably constructed in the 35th century cal BC, (that is to say between 3500-4001cal BC) probably more than a century later than Windmill Hill and the West Kennet long barrow. It is unclear, however, for how long activity continued. On the basis that the ditch was left to infill naturally, that there is no sign of recutting, and because there is a scarcity of sherds and bones, a short duration, probably of well under a century and perhaps only a generation or two, is possible.

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(SU 12106368) Neolithic Camp (NR)
Knap Hill (NAT) (1)

A causewayed camp on Knap Hill (see plan), excavated by BH and ME. Cunnington in 1908-9 and G Connah in 1961. The excavations revealed Windmill Hill sherds in the silting of the ditches, Beaker sherds on the surface of the ditches and Romano-British sherds, probably associated with the plateau enclosure (see SU 16 SW 13). Other finds nearly all from within a few feet of the bottom of the ditch include fragments of red deer antlers, a human jawbone, flint flakes and a few sarsen chips. The finds are now in Devizes Museum. Connah concludes from his excavations that the causewayed ditches undoubtedly belong to the Windmill Hill culture and that the scarcity of the pottery and occupation material may suggest that the camp was of a defensive character and abandoned at an early stage - perhaps before completion. (2-4)

Radiocarbon dating of antler fragments from the primary rubble of the ditch - 4710+- 115 BP or 2760BC. Charcoal from the upper silting of the ditch - 3790+- 130BP or 1840BC. (5)

SU 12106365 Knap Hill causewayed camp occupies a hill top position overlooking the Pewsey Vale to the S. The causewayed bank can be traced only on the N and W sides, but accepting the natural gradient of the hill for the eastern and southern extent, then the area enclosed would have been approximately 1.7 hectares. There is a bowl barrow (see SU 16 SW 23) and some flint digging disturbance within the camp, and in the E the perimeter of the IA/RB "plateau" enclosure obscures the terminal on the causewayed bank. Resurveyed in conjunction with RCHM manuscript plan at 1:2500. (6)

The Neolithic causwayed enclosure and associated features described by the previous authorities have been mapped at 1:10,000 scale from aerial photographs and the 1:1000 plan produced as part of the industry and Enclosure in the Neolithic Project (Event UID 923509). (8-10)

Surveyed by the RCHME as part of the above project. (11)

Knap Hill encloses an area of 2.4 hectares and consists of a single circuit of sub-triangular plan, conforming to the contours of the hill and possibly incomplete on the steepest, southern side. Exceptionally to other enclosures, the causeways seem to correspond precisely to gaps in the bank. (12)

Two radiocarbon dates were obtained by Connah following his 1961 excavations (Table 3.3: BM-205, -208; Connah 1969). They bracket the infilling of the ditch, the sample for BM-205 coming from near the base and that for BM-208 from the topmost fill. BM-205 was measured on an antler implement which had arguably been used to dig the ditch and would have been contemporary with that event. BM-208 was measured on an unidentified bulk charcoal sample which may have included material of diverse ages, and can hence provide only a terminus post quem for its context. (13-14)

Knap Hill was included in a research programme into the dating of the early Neolithic causewayed enclosures of southern Britain and of Ireland, using chronological estimates produced by Bayesian statistical analysis of radiocarbon dates. In addition to attempting to establish a construction date and duration for the monument, the proximity of the site to Windmill Hill and to a concentration of long barrows posed the question of its chronological relation to them. Six further radiocarbon measurements were therefore obtained. A model which incorporates this interpretation of the archaeological sequence with the radiocarbon dates was constructed. The model suggested that Knap Hill was probably constructed in the 35th century cal BC, probably rather more than a century later than both Windmill Hill and the West Kennet long barrow. It is unclear, however, for how long activity continued at this enclosure. On the basis that the ditch was left to infill naturally and there is no sign of recutting, and because there is a scarcity of sherds and bones, a short duration, probably of well under a century and perhaps only a generation or two, is plausible. (15)

Scheduled. The designated record of the causewayed enclosure can be accessed online from the National Heritage List for England. (16-17)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" 1961

( 2) edited by R B Pugh and Elizabeth Crittall 1957 A history of Wiltshire: volume 1, part 1

The Victoria history of the counties of England L Grinsell: Archaeological Gazetteer Page(s)26

( 3) The Wiltshire archaeological and natural history magazine

ME Cunnington: Knap Hill Camp 37, 1911-12 Page(s)42-65

( 4) The Wiltshire archaeological and natural history magazine

G Connah: Excavations at Knap Hill, Alton Priors 60, 1965 Page(s)1-23

( 5) Antiquity Publications Limited Antiquity

G Connah: Radiocarbon dating for Knap Hill 43, 1969 Page(s)304-5

( 6) Field Investigators Comments

F1 MHB 18-JUL-74

(7) Man, a monthly record of anthropological science

ME Cunnington: On a remarkable feature in the entrenchments of Knap Hill Camp, Wiltshire 9, 1909 Page(s)49-52

(8) Oblique aerial photograph reference number

NMR SU1263/47 (15290/06) 19-MAR-1995

(9) Oblique aerial photograph reference number

NMR SU1263/49 (15290/08) 19-MAR-1993

(10) Oblique aerial photograph reference number

NMR SU126351 (15269/36) 19-MAR-1995

(11) Field Investigators Comments

RCHME Field Investigation, N Smith & P Pattison, June 1995

(12) A Oswald, C Dyer, M Barber 2001 The Creation of Monuments: Neolithic Causewayed Enclosures in the British Isles

Page(s)12,14,18,25-6,43-65, 99-100,102,109,130

(13) The Wiltshire archaeological and natural history magazine

Article by Connah, G: 'Excavations at Knap Hill, Alton Priors' 60, 1965 Page(s)1-23

(14) Antiquity Publications Limited Antiquity

Article by Connah, G: 'Radiocarbon dating for Knap Hil' 43, 1969 Page(s)304-305

(15) Alasdair Whittle, Alex Bayliss and Frances Healy 2011 Gathering Time: Dating the Early Neolithic Enclosures of Southern Britain and Ireland

Chapter 3.2, Knap Hill 1 Page(s)97-102

(16) Scheduled Monument Notification

Scheduling date not available

(17) World Wide Web page

English Heritage 2011, The National Heritage List for England, http://list.english-heritage.org.uk/resultsingle.aspx?uid=1005704 [Accessed 14-JUL-2011]

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