More information : `N' - SU 12014123; Wilsford 15 a bell barrow 9ft high and `O'- SU 12044122; Wilsford 16 a bell barrow 8ft high. These form a twin bell barrow, overall measurements 188ft east-west and 125ft north-south. These form Colt Hoare's Barrow 147. Wilsford 15 was excavated c. 1723 by Lord Pembroke and later by Colt Hoare. A primary cremation was found with a `bone point' (sic) and a bone object like the handle of a cup [a pendant and belt hook] and a secondary or intrusive inhumation 3ft below the surface, (undated). Wilsford 16 was excavated by Stukeley without result and later by Colt Hoare and W. Cunnington. A primary cremation was found with a small cup and six beads, four of amber and two of shale (Devizes Museum 293-6) (1-3)
Wilsford 15 and 16. Twin bell barrows. Resurveyed at 1:2500. (4)
Originally recorded as Wilsford 15 and 16 by Goddard. (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. (7-8)
The Bronze Age twin bell barrow referred to above (1-8) survives as earthworks, which were surveyed at a scale of 1:1000 in April 2010 as part of English Heritage's Stonehenge WHS Landscape Project. The site has been recorded as part of the Normanton Down (Centre) barrow group (Monument Number 219537) and forms part of the Normanton Down round barrow cemetery (Monument Number 1531088). The surviving earthworks extend east / west for 64m and are circa 44m wide. They comprise two roughly circular mounds that are joined by a broad causeway and situated on a single kidney shaped plinth, which sits on a platform enclosed by a ditch except to the east. The westernmost mound (Wilsford 15) is less well preserved: it stands 3.3m high, the much damaged top measures up to 13m across and the base is 28m in diameter. The causeway is 6m across and the eastern mound (Wilsford 16) stands 3.4m high; its circular top is 9m in diameter and its base is circa 19.5m. The plinth measures 49m long by 28.5m wide; and the platform is 52m long by circa 31m wide. The ditch is up to 7m wide. The barrows have been damaged by grazing animals and the various excavations. (9)
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