| Summary : The cropmarks of 15 closely spaced Bronze Age ring ditches are visible on aerial photographs taken in 1959 and 1972. A Possible 16th barrow is recorded as a slight earthwork on lidar (airbourne laser scanning) imagery. Two of the barrows identified as cropmarks can also be seen as slight mounds on lidar. These are situated to the south of the river Avon between Wilsford and Charlton, 2km south-east of Marden henge. The ring ditches range in diameter from 19m to 55m and two of the barrows are double-ditched, suggesting a phased development. Three ring ditches extend into the field to the north where they are obscured by the earthworks of post-medieval water meadows. A fourth ring ditch has been partially destroyed by the course of the river. The ditches of the south-western barrows are incorporated into the possible Iron Age or Roman settlement enclosures, within which is a Roman villa (see NMR 907086). The ring ditches and barrow are recorded individually in the following records: NMR 1482559, 1482570, 1482572, 1482575, 1482576, 1482587, 1482592, 1482593, 1482611, 1482614, 1482619, 1482620, 1482624, 1482625 and 1482627. |
More information : (SU 1089 5670 and SU 1096 5674) Crop-marks of two ring-ditches. (1)
No ground surface or OS AP evidence. Field under plough; abutting the R Avon. (2)
The cropmarks of 15 closely spaced Bronze Age ring ditches are visible on aerial photographs taken in 1959 and 1972; two of which are recorded by the previous authority. A possible 16th barrow can be seen as a slight earthwork on a lidar tile, this is at SU 1097 5668. These are recorded individually in the following records: NMR 1482559, 1482570, 1482572, 1482575, 1482576, 1482587, 1482592, 1482593, 1482611, 1482614, 1482619, 1482620, 1482624, 1482625 and 1482627.
These are situated to the south of the river Avon between Wilsford and Charlton, 2km south-east of Marden henge. The ring ditches range in diameter from 19m to 55m and two of the barrows are double-ditched, suggesting a phased development.
Three ring ditches extend into the field to the north where they are obscured by the earthworks of post-medieval water meadows. A fourth ring ditch has been partially destroyed by the course of the river. Two of the barrows identified by cropmarks can also be seen as slight mounds on lidar tiles. These are at SU 1090 5671 and SU 1096 5674.
Their close proximity to the Avon raises the probability that some of these barrows would have been surrounded by water when the river flooded, and that this positioning was intentional. Determining the area that would have flooded is problematic. The truncation of a barrow by the Avon illustrates that there have been changes in the course of the river since the early Bronze Age. Modern areas of flood closely follow the area of the post-medieval water meadows and it is possible that the constriction of these channels and leats restrict the flood waters to a smaller area than would have previously been the case. While it is possible that many of these barrows would have been surrounded by water in times of flood, the two south-western ring ditches are just above the 100m contour and it seems unlikely that these would ever have been surrounded by floodwater.
The ditches of the south-western barrows are incorporated into the possible Iron Age or Roman settlement enclosures, within which is a Roman villa (see 907086). (3-7)
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