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| Name: | Wolstonbury Hill |
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| HER Ref: | MWS4517 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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Designations - none recorded
Summary
In September 1995 the School of Conservation Sciences, Bournemouth University, undertook a two week excavation on Wolstonbury Hill. The aims of the excavation were to establish as far as possible, the original extent and form taken by the three recorded enclosures as well as defining a stratigraphic, environmental and chronological sequence for all phases of activity; whether Wolstonbury should be considered Neolithic with enclosure C being regarded as a henge, or whether they should be seen as agricultural settlement enclosures or stock corrals of late-BA/EIA. A programme of environmental sampling was carried out to determine landscape environment and land-use regime in which the earthworks were constructed, and examine possibility of recognising distinct abandonment phases.ü Three trenches were dug: trench C sectioned enclosure A and provided no conclusive evidence of a defined inner enclosure - enclosure A has the appearance of an eroded field lynchet. Additional field banks would appear to be indicated by the line of enclosure B, and the presence of a series of low banks at 90 degrees to enclosure A may reinforce such an interpretation. Trenches A and B were cut through enclosure C. The flintwork assemblage from primary contexts within the ditch and beneath the external bank appears to be of late Neolithic/EBA context. A large assemblage of late BA/EIA pottery and faunal remains recovered from secondary units of soil accumulation within the ditch of enclosure C, as recorded in trenches A and B, combined with artefacts recovered from trench C, may suggest the presence of late BA/EIA occupation within the area enclosed by the main earthworks. Whether such activity has survived post-medieval quarrying remains to be seen.ü Note: the report refers to SAM 34, Wolstonbury Camp is in fact SAM 33. {1} Activity Reference - 1 = WS453
Monument Types
- BANK (EARTHWORK) (Earthworks-unclassified, Prehistoric - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
- FINDSPOT (Ceramic, Prehistoric - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
Sources
| <1> | Bibliographic reference: Russell M. 1996. Wolstonbury Hill, Archaeological Investigation, Interim Report. |
| <2> | Unpublished document: National Trust. 1996. The Dyke Estate, West Sussex - An Archaeological And Land Use History Report. |
Associated Events
- Part excav, Russell M, 1995
- Enclosures on Wolstonbury Hill - An Earthwork Survey by the RCHME
Associated Monuments
- MWS832 - Related to: Bronze Age pottery - Wolstonbury Hill (Find Spot)
- MWS831 - Related to: Neolithic flint implements - Wolstonbury Hill (Find Spot)
- MWS6473 - Related to: Wolstonbury Camp Enclosure (Monument)
Associated Finds - none recorded
Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.