Amesbury 50 (Goddard) |
| Hob Uid: 942661 | |
Location :
Wiltshire
Amesbury
|
| Grid Ref : SU1146942679 |
| Summary : A Neolithic / Bronze Age round barrow, known as Amesbury 50, survives as slight earthworks and forms part of the Cursus Barrow Group (Monument Number 219681). The barrow comprises a central oval mound flanked by two asymmetric side ditches which have opposing entrances to the south-west and north-east, orientated along the 105m contour on which the barrow sits. The barrow mound stands circa 0.5m high and measures between 19m and 21 in diameter. The flanking ditches measure circa 0.1m deep and a maximum of 12m wide. Small causeways inside the ditches indicate that the ditches were dug in segments. Geophysical survey in July 2010 shows the two side ditches were dug as a series of large pits within which was one, possibly two oval rings of smaller pits. The combined surveys suggest the site was a perhaps a hengiform monument containing an oval structure, perhaps of timber, with a later round mound inserted. The barrow was excavated in the early 19th century by Colt Hoare without result (Barrow 35), although it is possible that a small plain food vessel was recovered from the barrow by Cunnington senior. It was listed as Amesbury 50 by Goddard and by Grinsell (as a bowl barrow) and was considered in good condition by Maud Cunnington in 1913 but was damaged by ploughing in the mid-20th century, when it is also visible as a cropmark on aerial photographs. The round barrow was surveyed at 1:1000 scale by English Heritage in April 2009 as part of the Stonehenge WHS Landscape Project. |
More information : `B' - SU 11474267; Amesbury 50; a bowl barrow, shown ditched on OS 6", 66ft in diameter and 5ft high. (1) Excavated by Colt Hoare (Barrow 35) with no result. (2)
Amesbury 50; a bowl barrow 1.2m high with a ditch up to 0.3m deep. Published 1:2500 survey revised. (3)
Originally recorded as Amesbury 50 by Goddard. With a note by Maud Cunnington: Condition good, 1913, never ploughed. (4)
The barrow is visible as an earthwork and a cropmark on aerial photographs, and has been mapped by both RCHME's Salisbury Plain Training Area NMP and EH's Stonehenge WHS Mapping Project. (6-9)
The Neolithic / Bronze Age round barrow referred to above (1-9) was surveyed at 1:1,000 scale by English Heritage in April 2009 as part of the Stonehenge WHS Landscape Project. The round barrow has an overall diameter of 41m: it comprises an oval barrow mound is flanked by two side ditches, with opposing entrances to the south-west and north-east orientated along the 105m contour on which it sits. The barrow mound stands circa 0.5m high: its top measures up to 6.5m and its base is 22m in diameter. The flanking ditches are circa 0.1m deep and measure a maximum of 10m wide. The southern side of the barrow mound shows evidence of animal damage and small causeways inside the ditches suggest the ditch was dug in segments. Geophysical survey in July 2010 shows the two side ditches were dug as a series of four large pits, within which is are two concentric oval rings of smaller pits which probably held a free-standing timber structure(s). The combined surveys suggest the site was possibly deverloped from a hengiform monument containing an oval structure, probably of timber. (10-12) |