Summary : A Bronze Age bell barrow, known as Amesbury 47, survives as earthworks and forms part of the Cursus barrow cemetery (Monument Number 219681). The round barrow has an overall diameter of circa 36m and comprises a central oval mound, 1.6m high, surrounded by a concentric berm and outer ring ditch. The ring ditch joins that surrounding the next barrow to the east, Amesbury 46 (Monument Number 942705). Excavations for Colt Hoare in the early 19th century located a simple interment of burned bones (Barrow 32). In 1913 Maud Cunnington noted the barrow was in good condition having never been ploughed. It was listed as Amesbury 47 by Goddard (as a large bell barrow) and by Grinsell (as a bell barrow). The barrow was surveyed at 1:1000 scale by English Heritage in April 2009 as part of the Stonehenge WHS Landscape Project. |
More information : `E' - SU 11774277; Amesbury 47, a bell barrow with a raised berm, overall diameter 124ft. (1) Excavations by Colt Hoare (Barrow 32) located a primary cremation. (2)
A sherd of collared urn with twisted cord ornament was found on either this barrow or Amesbury 46 (SU 14 SW 428) by Mr. B.G Hopkins, 35 Breamore Ave. Chelmsford. Essex, on 21.4.57. (3)
Amesbury 47; a ditched bell barrow confluent with Amesbury 46 (SU 14 SW 428). It is 2.6m high and 36m in diameter. (4)
Originally recorded as Amesbury 47 by Goddard. With a note by Maud Cunnington: condition good, 1913, never ploughed. (5)
The barrow is visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs, and has been mapped by both RCHME's Salisbury Plain Training Area NMP and EH's Stonehenge WHS Mapping Project. (7-9)
The Bronze Age bell barrow referred to above (1-9) was surveyed at 1:1000 scale by English Heritage in April 2009 as part of the Stonehenge WHS Landscape Project. The round barrow has an overall diameter of circa 36m, and comprises an oval mound, 1.6m high, surrounded by a roughly concentric berm (between 1m and 2.5m wide) and a ring ditch. The top of the mound measures 11m and the base is 19m in diameter. The berm is 23m in diameter and the ring ditch measures up to 8m wide and 0.3m deep. It joins the ditch surrounding Amesbury 46, the next barrow to the east (Monument Number 942705). The oval hollow on top of the mound probably relates to early excavations. (10-11) |