| Summary : A linear arrangement of four circular earthwork enclosures, arranged roughly south-south-west to north-north-east and usually numbered one to four in the same direction. The southernmost is immediately east of Harptree Lodge, and the first three are quite closely spaced. The northernmost, which is separated from the other three by a gap of some 350 metres, is immediately northeast of Bandpitt Farm. Each enclosure has been recorded separately (ST 55 SW 124-7), and those records should be consulted for more detail. The gap separating Priddy 4 from the remainder seems genuine - there is no "missing" enclosure. This gap is bisected by the course of the Roman road (RR 45b) which runs northwest-southeast between Charterhouse and Old Sarum. Excavations between 1956 and 1959 focused on Priddy 1, although some test borings were undertaken in Priddy 4. No dating evidence was found, but the excavators assumed all four circles to be henge monuments. The enclosures are currently scheduled as probable Neolithic ritual or ceremonial monuments similar to the henge class. Apart from the lack of finds, the henge interpretation is rendered problematical by the presence of external rather than internal ditches. The obvious comparison is with Stonehenge phase 1, although that monument presents morphological and chronological difficulties in terms of interpretation as a henge. Priddy 4 contains several features interpreted as Bronze Age bowl barrows (ST 55 SW 6), though none have been excavated. Numerous features clustered around the circles and beyond have been interpreted in the past as old mine or quarry workings. More recent analysis suggests that although there is some evidence for mining, many of the features around and within the circles are natural sinkholes. |
More information : 1 [ST 53955255] 2 [ST 54015279] 3 [ST 54095302] 4 [ST 54215355] PRIDDY CIRCLES [TI] HENGES [GT]. (1)
Priddy Circles, East Harptree, are four circular banks from 490 ft. to 560 ft. in diameter, each with an outer ditch. The circles are arranged NNE almost in a straight line, extending over three quarters of a mile.
See AO/LP/63/207 - plan of three of the circles. (2)
The circles belong to the secondary Neolithic and fall into the henge group of monuments, class 1. (2-4)
Scheduled. (4)
Priddy Circles are as described and as illustrated in AO/LP/63/207. The banks average 1.0m high and the ditch 0.4m deep.
Published survey (1:2500) correct. (5)
Priddy Circles - report on 1956 excavations. (6)
Natural sinkholes in and around the Priddy Circles. (8)
Additional references (7, 9)
Included in a gazetteer of henge monuments and related sites. Where the circles are interpreted as being unlikely to belong to the henge class. See child monuments for details of the individual circles. (10) |