More information : SU 677 697. Cropmarks of a sub-rectangular enclosure, without entrance, apparently associated with three circles, at Burghfield (1).
SU 675 702 [This grid. ref. falls on SU 67 SE].
Two more circles, one very large,, associated with some vague linear features, were found "on the opposite side of the road" to those described by R.C.H.M. (2). (1-3)
The crop marks have been plotted from air photographs, in Reading Museum (a) and in 'A Matter of Time' (1), centred at SU 6759 7023 and SU 6770 6981. They fall on the river plain of the Kennet, which here has been ploughed for many years. The two northern circles could not be seen in a grass field, although there is a very slight swelling on the site of the larger. The field in which the southern group falls has recently been ploughed, and the crop marks do not show as soil marks but the farmer said that they can be seen in growing corn.
A similar group of circular crop marks (SU 67 SW ) is now being excavated by J. Wymer of Reading Museum. Identification and dating awaits his findings although it seems very likely that the circles are the ditches of ploughed out barrows. (4)
The two smaller circles were excavated in 1969 by Reading Museum before the construction of the M4 motorway. No internal features of archaeological significance were discovered, but the rim of a horseshoehandled pot was found 1ft. above the bottom of the ditch of the smallest ring, and with it some 50-60 sherds fo the same vessel scattered through the fill. This would suggest a BA date. Other finds include two Beaker sherds, two petit tranchet derivative arrowheads, a flint knife, and several scrapers. (5)
6769 SU 66 NE Area centred SU 677698 BURGHFIELD.
2 small circles and irregular oval enclosure with scattered pits and intersecting linear features. To E large circle. To NW curvilinear feature and pit. ST JOSEPH 57 VP 58, 60-63; 60 ABX 39: 61 ADN 26, 28-29; 70 BCH 81.
Excavations in 1969 by Reading Museum of the two small ring-ditches failed to provide conclusive dating evidence though part of a horseshoe-handled pot (Bronze Age) was found in the fill of one ditch. The smaller ditch was 24 metres in diameter and the other slightly larger. No internal features were identified. These two ring-ditches were destroyed by the construction of the M4 in 1970. The remainder of the site was destroyed by gravel quarrying in 1973-4 without further investigation though the large circle at 678698 was identified during topsoil stripping and found to be 45 metres in diameter. Ironically a photograph of the site was published in A Matter of Time (HMSO 1960, plate 6a).
Further excavations were carried out in 1973-4 by the Berks Archaeological Unit before the site was completely destroyed by gravel working. Analysis of the pottery suggests a late Bronze Age date. The 3 flint scrapers that were found appear to be residual finds of late Neolithic date.
Full excavation report. (6)
SU 677696: Full excavation report on the Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age ring ditches excavated by R A Rutland in 1969 (7,8)
The ring ditches described above in (1-8) were recorded during the Silchester Iron Age Environs Project from aerial photographs of the 1950s and 1960s. The cropmarks consist of: two ring ditches, approximately 24 m and 29 m in diameter arranged on a south west-north east alignment, with an irregular, sub-square ditched enclosure located immediately to the north east; and a large ring ditch, 58 m in diameter, located 86 m to the east of the other features. On morphological evidence and the Bronze Age date found through excavation it is possible that the cropmarks represent the remains of a barrow group. See separate records for each feature. (10-11) |