Historic England research records

Historic England Research Records

Prophet Barrow
Hob Uid: 943410
Location : Wiltshire Wilsford cum Lake
Grid Ref : SU1090840278
Summary : Bronze Age bowl barrow, listed by Grinsell as Wilsford 43, and part of the Lake Group of barrows recorded as SU 14 SW 51. The barrow allegedly acquired its name in the early 18th century after French "prophets" set up their standard on it and preached to local people (circa 1710). Excavated in the early 19th century by Colt Hoare, who found a primary cremation in what he described as a wooden box in a large cist. Accompanying the cremation were a bronze dagger and a perforated whetstone-pendant. The barrow is extant as a mutilated mound 1.5 metres high.
More information : (SU 10904027) Prophet Barrow (AT) (1) `F' - SU 10904027; Wilsford 43, Prophet Barrow, a bowl barrow 105ft in diameter and 6ft high. Wessex Grave 91. It allegedly received its name in the early 18th century when French `prophets' set up their standard there and preached to the local people. Excavations by Colt Hoare (Barrow 8) located a cremation in a wooden box within a large cist, and a grooved dagger and whetstone. (DM 780-1). (2-4) Wilsford 43, a mutilated bowl barrow 1.5m high. Published 1:2500 survey revised. (5) Originally recorded as Wilsford 43 by Goddard. (6) Additional references. (7-8) The barrow falls within the area mapped from aerial photographs by both RCHME's Salisbury Plain Training Area NMP and EH's Stonehenge WHS Mapping Project. It has been included on the survey maps, but is covered by trees, and no further information could be added from aerial photographic evidence. (9) A bowl or bell barrow with a mound 1.4m high surrounded by a possible berm and a ditch about 0.3m deep; the top is badly disturbed and has a low bank overlying it. (10)

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Source Number : 1
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Source details : OS 6" 1961
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Source Number : 2
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Source details : Grinsell, LV. Archaeological Gazetteer
Page(s) : 198
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Source Number : 3
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Page(s) : 211
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Source Number : 4
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Source details : Annable, FK & DDA Simpson. 1964. A Guide Catalogue to the Neolithic and Bronze Age collections in Devizes Museum, p.54 nos 344-5
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Source Number : 5
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Source details : F1 ANK 21-JAN-71
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Source Number : 6
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Source details : Goddard, EH. A list of prehistoric, Roman and pagan Saxon antiquities in the county of Wiltshire...
Page(s) : 348
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Vol(s) : 38, 1913-14

Source Number : 7
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Source details :
Page(s) : 76
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Vol(s) : Abt.6, Bd.2

Source Number : 8
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Source details : Record number 300
Page(s) : 100
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Source Number : 9
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Source details : English Heritage: Stonehenge WHS Mapping Project
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Source Number : 10
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Source details : M Bowden, D Field and S Soutar 2012 Lake Barrows, The Diamond and Normanton Gorse
Page(s) : 11
Figs. : 3, 5, 8
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Vol(s) : 29-2012

Monument Types:

Monument Period Name : Early Bronze Age
Display Date : Early Bronze Age
Monument End Date : -1600
Monument Start Date : -2600
Monument Type : Bowl Barrow, Cist
Evidence : Earthwork, Sub Surface Deposit

Components and Objects:

Period : Early Bronze Age
Component Monument Type : Bowl Barrow, Cist
Object Type : BOX, CREMATION, DAGGER, PERFORATED OBJECT, WHETSTONE, PENDANT
Object Material : Wood, Bronze

Related Records from other datasets:

External Cross Reference Source : SMR Number (Wiltshire)
External Cross Reference Number : SU14SW902
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : SU 14 SW 465
External Cross Reference Notes :

Related Warden Records :

Associated Monuments :
Relationship type : Is referred to by

Related Activities :

Associated Activities :
Activity type : AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH INTERPRETATION
Start Date : 1994-12-01
End Date : 1995-08-01

Associated Activities :
Activity type : AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH INTERPRETATION
Start Date : 2001-02-01
End Date : 2001-07-01

Associated Activities :
Activity type : MEASURED SURVEY
Start Date : 2011-04-01
End Date : 2011-09-01

Historic England Research Records

Prophet Barrow